Obsession
by 1st endeavor
Summary: Sequel to "Out of Time" An old enemy has returned to threaten the Eppes family.
1. Chapter 1

-1

Title: Obsession

Author: 1st endeavor

Disclaimer: All the characters and references to the show "NUMB3RS" are the property of Cheryl Heuton and Nick Falacci, CBS and the Scott Brothers. I am not making any profit from this and no infringement is intended. However, my original characters and story line are mine.

A/N: This is a sequel to my story "Out of Time."

(Obsession-persistent disturbing preoccupation with an often unreasonable idea or feeling.)

Prologue:

The shadows flickered on the walls of the spacious rooms as the lightening from the approaching storm grew nearer. Raindrops were already starting to hit the balcony 's glass doors and the thunder seemed to echo through the hills as it roared ominously over the estate.

The lone figure in the room stood and walked restlessly around his luxurious suite. The room was his design; he loved luxury, from the plush and elaborate furniture to the crystal and gold chandeliers dancing in the firelight .

However, the brightly burning fire in the ornate fireplace did little to ease his nervous tension tonight. His uneasiness wasn't from the approaching storm; things of that nature didn't bother him at all, they actually seemed to suit his mood. The storm was more like a kindred spirit to him; a powerful entity that could do whatever it wanted…just like him.

He had everything that a man could want and anything that he desired he could buy. A few of his treasures had not been for sale, yet he had still found a way to obtain them. All of them meant nothing to him now because the one thing he desired most of all had slipped through his fingers. Never before had he been thwarted in getting what he wanted….until now.

Absently, he pulled a key from his pocket and left his apartment to enter the suite directly across from his.

The man inserted the key into the lock and opening the door he stepped quietly into the vacant apartment.

The furnishings in this suite were just as luxurious as his own but he had taken a great deal of care to try and decorate it in the style that he thought the new occupant would feel the most at ease in.

He walked slowly through the rooms and stopped to look around a large library with rows of shelves filled with books. As his fingers trailed over a massive oak desk he silently contemplated the steps that he was about to take; once taken, there would be no turning back, he would have to see it through.

His gaze fell upon a picture setting on the desk and he picked it up to peruse it a little longer. There were numerous photo's spread about this apartment, as well as in his own suite. Photographs of his future companion ; snapshots taken at various stages in someone's life. Pictures of the two of them together doing ordinary things like taking vacations or celebrating birthdays and holidays…family photographs. It had taken a great deal of ingenuity to obtain some of the photos and with modern technology it wasn't difficult to manufacture a few of the others.

It had never been in his nature to want a family but that had all changed within the past year. He had found someone that he wanted to call "family" and steps were already in motion to make that happen.

It was going to be different with his new companion. They would become a family, like the one in the pictures, he was sure of it. All he had to do was present it in a way that couldn't be refused, but he also wanted that person to want it as much as he did. To that end, he had decided on a new approach, one that only a year ago he would not have had the patience to even consider.

The idea had begun to form in his mind while he was recovering from an injury. An infection developing in his wound had set his recovery back but he had managed to make good use of his time. There had been a lot of research to compile before he could even get started with his plan but with the wonderful use of the internet he was able to accomplish a great deal, even from the confines of a bed; laptops were such marvelous tools.

He continued his walk through the apartment and entered the master bedroom. Opening a large walk-in closet, he fingered some of the clothing that was already hanging there. Styles that he had personally picked out for his new companion; ones that he felt the individual would like and some that he liked himself.

He had become obsessed with his idea and he knew it but he no longer cared; it had become an addiction . It was on his mind constantly, day and night. Nothing mattered to him anymore except making this work. Financial issues were not a concern for him; he knew the power of wealth , had known it all of his life and as long as he had that power there was nothing on earth that was going stop him.

Another streak of lightening drew him to the balcony and in the flashes of light, he could clearly see the high fence that surrounded his property. Guards stood in the gatehouse keeping a strict watch. The wrath of the man inside the gates was far worse than anything that might try to get in, so they watched diligently.

As the man turned away, he caught his own reflection in the window and brought a hand up to finger the bandages around his face and then he lowered his gaze to his fingertips.

"_A new face and no more fingerprints. They'll never know who I really am until it's too late."_

His servants thought that he had been in some horrific accident but these bandages would bring him a new identity and with that he would begin the life that he desired most.

"_The bandages will come off in just a few days_," he thought to himself, "_and then it will be time to put the final details in motion."_

After taking one more glance around the empty suite he made his way back out to the hallway and was locking the door when his maid and butler appeared carrying his dinner.

"Good evening, sir." The butler politely greeted him.

"Miles." he acknowledged the man. His serving staff thought he was a kindly master. They had no idea of his true nature, he had managed to hide it from them;. practice for the upcoming role he needed to play to achieve his goal.

"Shall I serve your dinner now sir?" the woman asked.

"Yes…yes." he responded happily. "Go on in and set it up."

The butler opened the door for him and waited while he entered the room . They quickly followed him in and immediately began to set the table.

"Shall I prepare your drink sir?" the butler asked.

"Yes, please do." he answered.

In the meantime the maid had his dinner on the table and was standing by in case he wanted anything else. Miles hurried over with his master's drink and carefully placed it on the table. He quickly retreated and took his place beside the maid and waited for further instructions.

The man took a sip of the soup and savored the taste. It was really delicious, but he wasn't surprised, after all, he only hired the best and the cook was well known to be one of the greatest chef's around the area. He couldn't wait to actually eat some solid food. Soup and beverages had been his main sustenance for a number of weeks, but once the bandages were off he intended to enjoy all of his favorite meals.

"You may leave now…come back in an hour to clean it up." he ordered.

They bowed quietly and started to leave but the butler hesitated and turned back with a question.

"Will your companion be joining you soon?" He asked as he pointed to the portrait above the fireplace.

The man's eyes were drawn to the portrait. He had commissioned a well-known artist to paint it. The portrait was of two people, himself, sitting in a high back red leather chair and a younger person standing next to him with a hand placed casually on his forearm while they smiled at one another.

"My friend has some obligations to clear up first and will join us as soon as they are completed ." he answered pleasantly.

"We look forward to serving you both sir. It will be good for you to have your companion here."

"You have no idea." he said more to himself than to the butler.

They bowed and left him then as he continued to finish his meal. He pushed back his chair when he had finished and with his drink in hand he walked over to the fireplace and stared at the portrait above it.

That is how they were meant to be. He had convinced himself that it was their destiny to be together and he would force this person to accept it as well. His guest would be a prisoner, that much was true but a well taken care of captive ; the proverbial "_bird in a gilded cage."_

The man's obsession had consumed him and nothing else was important. No one would be allowed to interfere with his plans and the people that had caused his injury and prevented him from accomplishing his last endeavor would soon wish that they had never crossed his path.

"_We will be together in life….or in death….either way….we will be together_." he thought as he lifted his glass in a toast to the portrait.

"Soon….very soon" he said aloud as thunder sounded in the distance and beneath the bandages his lips parted in a smile.


	2. Chapter 2

-1

Title: Obsession

Author: 1st endeavor

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: Thank you for your wonderful reviews.

**Sun-Tzu ping-fa (Sun Tzu The Art of War)**

**Warfare is the Way of deception**

**Therefore, if able, appear unable**

**If active, appear not active.**

**If near, appear far**

**If they have advantage, entice them**

**Attack where they are not prepared, go out to where they do not expect**

……and so it begins.

Chapter 2:

Don Eppes sat at his desk in the downtown Los Angeles office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation reviewing his teams 302 forms from the day before.

It had been a surprisingly quiet week for them, one that had given them a breather and a chance to get caught up on all of the paperwork involved with their latest cases. He was finally getting the stacks of paper down to a final few when his phone rang. Grabbing the phone and placing it between his shoulder and ear, he listened as he continued to peruse the paperwork.

"Eppes."

He quickly grabbed the phone in his hand and put the paperwork back down as soon as he identified the caller. "Yes sir, I'll be right up."

Sighing he closed the folder and pushed his chair away from his desk, frowning at the small stack of folders still lying there.

"_Okay, so I almost got them all finished." _he thought as he grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair.

He looked around the glass walls that surrounded him until he spotted his team. All three of them had gathered in the break room.

As he strode toward them he put on his jacket wondering what they were doing. They appeared to be looking at something on one of the tables and his curiosity grew as he got closer to the room.

Megan, Colby and David were so engrossed in the paper that was spread out in front of them that they had failed to notice his approach. Don quietly peaked over they"re shoulders and his eyebrows shot up in surprise when he realized what they were up too.

"Oh, man, you guys are going to be so dead when he finds out what you're doing." he said raising his voice deliberately.

Three startled, guilty faces turned toward him.

Colby tried to grab the paper from the table, but Don was too quick for him and slapped his hand down on top of it first.

Don let out a whistle, "How many people are in on this office pool anyway?"

Colby glanced at his co-conspirators and got up enough nerve to speak. "Well so far, almost everyone on this floor and twenty people from the 2nd floor. Everybody likes Charlie, so you know, everyone wanted to get in on it."

Megan put her hand on her hip and leaned toward him conspiratorially. "Larry thinks it will be soon. What do you think Don? Has he given you any hints?

Don straightened up with a smirk on his face. "Hey, if I did know I wouldn't tell you guys, that's up to him."

"Come on Don, you don't think this will upset him do you?" David asked as a look of concern crossed his features but he quickly shrugged it off and added. "If it was one of us we would do it and besides Charlie is one of us anyway."

"It's all in good fun." The pretty agent noted. "Charlie wouldn't get upset about this."

"Uh huh." Don remarked. "I don't think that I would let him see this, trust me, it wouldn't be a pretty sight."

Colby snickered and rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on Don, what's a mathematician going to do to three FBI agents?" The three agents burst out in laughter at the thought of the Professor having any chance of getting any sort of payback.

"I don't know guys, but I learned a long time ago not to underestimate my little brother. Don't let those big brown eyes of his fool you because behind them lurks one of the sharpest minds in the world today."

As he turned to leave he remembered the reason for coming to see his team.

"I'll be with AD if you need me."

"Don, aren't you going to place a bet on what day Charlie will propose to Amita?" Colby asked waving a pen in front of him. "It's only twenty bucks."

"Hell, no, I've already been on the other end of that sharp mind and I gotta tell you… it still stings." he called over his shoulder as he walked out of the room.

The three remaining agents shared a moment of hesitation and then shook their heads and laughed. They couldn't stop now, this was too much fun.

...

Don exited the elevator and headed straight for the assistant director's office. The receptionist was on the telephone when he arrived and when she saw him she covered the receiver with a hand and turned to him.

"You can go right in Agent Eppes, he's been waiting for you."

"Thanks Karen," he responded as headed for the glass door to the office.

The agent could see Wright sitting at his desk and there was another man seated across from him with his back to the door. As Don entered the room the assistant director stood up and walked around his desk to meet the agent.

The other man stood as well and turned to face Don.

To the agent's surprise, the AD clapped him on the back as he introduced his guest.

"Special Agent Don Eppes meet Detective Patrick O'Connell, Special Detective Unit of the PSNI Special Branch."

Don extended his hand and as he shook the man's gloved hand he asked, "Police Service of Northern Ireland?"

Nodding his head the man smiled and spoke in an unmistakable Irish accent. "Well, I'm impressed, there aren't too many people who know what those initials stand for. It's an honor to meet you Agent Eppes, your reputation proceeds you."

"Detective O'Connell is here to learn about our investigative practices. I have assigned him to your team." The director paused to retrieve a folder from his desk and hand it to Don. "All of the specifics are in here, he's especially interested in the mathematical applications. I want you to make him a member of your team. He'll be here for a month, his clearance levels are in the folder and he has permission to carry his sidearm."

"I'm hoping that we can apply some of your techniques to our specific situations. I am looking forward to meeting your consultant and hopefully getting some ideas on whether we would benefit from these types of applications."

Jokingly Don remarked. "I'd be happy to introduce you to him as long as you don't try to take our mathematician with you."

"That would be Dr. Eppes, right, your brother?" The Irishman asked excitedly. "I'm really looking forward to working with him."

"Yes, indeed." The assistant director answered for Don. "It was Agent Eppes's idea to use the mathematical applications that the Professor suggested and they have proven so successful that we now have Math consultants available for all of our teams."

"If you have any problems, I'm sure Agent Eppes will be able to help you with them." the director added, officially ending the meeting.

Don and O'Connell left the office together and stepped into the elevator. The agent pressed the floor number button and glanced at his companion. O"Connell was a tall thin man, maybe 6 foot two, with bright red hair cut similarly to his own style. He seemed nice enough, but Don had learned never to accept someone at first glance. There were surprises if you did that and some of them were not always so pleasant.

The elevator door opened on his floor and as they walked toward his office the agent watched the other man out of the corner of his eye. The detective was checking out the floor, almost like he was looking for something or someone. Warning signals began firing in Don's brain. Maybe there was more to this guy than there appeared to be.

His team had returned to they're desks so Don motioned them over for an introduction.

"Special Agent Megan Reeves, Special Agent David Sinclair and Special Agent Colby Granger." he said pointing to each one as he introduced them.

"This is Detective Patrick O'Connell of the Special Detective Unit for the Police Service of Northern Ireland."

O'Connell shook each of they're hands as he was introduced to them.

"Please, call me Patrick."

"Patrick is joining our team for a month. It seems our solve rate has attracted some international attention and he would like to study our methods." The senior agent explained as he pointed to an empty desk. "You can use that desk over there." Turning to Colby he asked. "Could you get him set up?

"Sure thing boss." the junior agent responded.

"Oh, Colby, one more thing. Could you show him how to access some of our case files so he can review them?" Don asked as he opened the folder in his hands and showed the agent the Irishman's level of security clearance.

They had all started to move when the Irishman asked. "Files? But I thought I would get to see you in action?"

"I wouldn't worry too much about that." David snorted. "We just finished up a case but trust me, we don't sit still for very long."

Colby spoke up. "Yeah, man , this is LA. There's always another case coming along." he took the man's elbow to direct him toward the desk but was taken by surprise when the man didn't move. Before he could ask him what the problem was, the Irishman directed another question at Don.

"Where is Dr. Eppes? I was hoping to ask him some questions." His voice had taken on a demanding tone; gone was the friendly manner of only a few moments before.

Megan arched an eyebrow at her boss as he turned back around to face the man.

At the tone of the man's voice, Don's demeanor had changed and the Irishman found himself suddenly faced with the agent in charge, his friendly attitude hidden by his professionalism.

"Dr. Eppes is a consultant. He doesn't work here full-time and only comes in when we need his expertise." This wasn't true, of course, Charlie had a habit of just stopping by but this guy didn't have to know that.

The disappointed look on the man's face prompted him to add. "Charlie isn't an F.B.I. agent, he is a full-time professor at Calsci."

"I see." the man returned in a clipped voice. The excitement had gone out of his eyes and was replaced by something else. Don wasn't sure if it was resentment or some kind of defensive mechanism.

"Your not afraid that I'll try and steal your mathematician from you, are you Agent Eppes? The detective said with a smile but it never touched his eyes.

Surprise flitted across all of their faces; they hadn't seen that coming.

"That was a joke, Detective O'Connell." The authority in Don's voice was clearly evident. "If you are truly here to study our methods then the files are the best place to start."

He waited to see if the man was going to respond and then turned toward his desk.

"All 302's on my desk by three o'clock people. I'd like to get out of here by five tonight."

Colby directed the Irishman toward the empty desk and proceeded to acquaint him with procedures and protocols.

David returned to his desk and began working on his forms so they would be completed by the time that Don had allotted.

Megan stood thoughtfully watching the newcomer before heading over to Don's desk. She pretended to be interested in the file that he was working on and leaned over his shoulder to get a better look as she quietly asked.

"What do you think that was all about?"

'Not a clue." he commented as he brought a hand up to rub his chin. "What's your take on him Megan?"

She shook her head. "Too soon to put my finger on it, but something is definitely going on. More than what he is telling us, anyway." she paused and glanced in the Irishman's direction. " I can't decide if he thought you were deliberately keeping him away from Charlie or if he was just disappointed." She added and pretended to look at the file again.

"Yeah, that's pretty much what I was thinking too." He flipped open the man's file. "According to this he was thoroughly checked out so maybe he's just a little over-eager."

She straightened up and tucked a lose hair behind one ear as her eyes drifted once again to the newcomer. "Maybe." she commented as she made her way back to her own desk.


	3. Chapter 3

-1Title: Obsession

Author: 1st endeavor

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: I'd like to thank everyone who is reading this story and also send a special thanks to all of you who have taken the time to review it.

**Sun-Tzu The Art of War**

**If you know only yourself, but not your opponent, you may win or may lose.**

Chapter 3:.

Wayne Johnson tapped his pencil nervously on the edge of his desk. Normally he wouldn't have undertaken a job like this, after all, he had his own successful operations. He had stayed under the Fed's radar by making it look like he was only involved in the small stuff but that was just a cover. He really dealt in the high-end robberies and he was so skilled at it that he had become quite wealthy. His reputation had grown among the right people and yet he had still been able to keep a low profile with the law.

Usually, he went with his gut feelings before he took a new job, but this time the substantial payoff had made it worth the risk. Doubts had been plaguing him lately however and he had started questioning his decision in accepting this job.

Wayne had met his client for the first time six months ago in a little bar just across the border in Tecate, Mexico. Bashere had flaunted his wealth and it was lucky for him that he had brought along protection or some of the locals would have relieved him of some of his more expensive items. Then again, if they had taken the time to look the man in the eyes, they would probably have reconsidered trying anything at all. Hell…one look in those eyes and he was having second thoughts himself, but it was already too late for him. He knew for a fact, that if he had said no to the plan, Bashere would have shot him without even blinking an eye. For the first time in his thirty-year career Johnson knew that he was in over his head but it was too late for him to back out now.

Still, it was going to be the biggest challenge of his career and he couldn't afford to make any mistakes.

It was Monday and he had two more days to review the plans with his men and make certain that everyone knew what to do. It was time to get Stage 1 underway. The door opened and as his men entered the room he spread out the blueprints and maps of their target area. There would be no second chances, anyone caught would be killed before any information could be given to the authorities. Of course, he left this part out of his instructions, there was no need to make anyone nervous.

When he was satisfied that everyone knew what to do he let them go. As he watched them leave he picked up his cell phone and hit the speed dial. No one answered, he just left a pre-arranged signal.

Stage 1 was now in play and he returned to his desk to began preparations for the next phase of the operation. This "project" was scheduled to begin on Friday and it was a totally different operation than the one they were about to start. Puzzled, he ran his fingers through his beard. He just couldn't figure out what this guy was up to.

In all of the years that he had been in business he had never come across an operation on this scale.

Johnson studied his instructions again and shook his head ruefully thinking to himself.

"_The FBI wouldn't see this one coming and by the time they figured it out, his client would be long gone Hell, he just might retire himself after this one."_

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Professor Charles Edward Eppes sighed and locked his office door. Child prodigy, tenured professor and at age thirty he had achieved more in those short years than many men in his profession had achieved in a lifetime. Yet tonight, even though he looked younger than his age, he felt as if he were much , much older.

Glancing at his watch brought out another sigh as he tugged his bag up higher on his shoulder and slowly trudged down the vacant hallway.

"_Seven-thirty already." _he thought, "_where did the time go_?" Another thought caused him to halt his steps. "_Time….I wonder how that would fit into my Cognitive Emergence Theory." _Several minutes passed before he realized that he had stopped completely. His stomached growled reminding him that he had missed dinner once again and he resumed his steps through the now silent Math building.

The students at Calsci were madly cramming for their upcoming finals which accounted for the silence that surrounded him and it was also the reason that he was leaving so late tonight. Five of his students had requested a little extra time with him to go over a few equations and he couldn't refuse. It was that spark of understanding in their eyes that set his heart soaring. When the student finally understood the equation that he was explaining and he could see it in their eyes, to him, it was like fireworks going off on the Fourth of July; it was what he lived for.

Charlie pushed open the door and welcomed the warm evening air but as he walked along the sidewalk an uneasy feeling began to override his fatigue. Goosebumps were rising on his arms and he hastened his steps. Glancing first in one direction and then in another, he narrowed his eyes as he peered into the shadows among the bushes and trees that were scattered along the walkway.

The last of the sunlight faded away and the street lights lit up as he approached his car and hit the remote button. Quickly opening the door he slid his bag from his shoulder and placed it on the seat. He didn't get in the car right away though, instead he stood by the open door and turned slowly in a full circle letting his eyes drift over the windows in the surrounding buildings but he saw nothing that could explain his sudden apprehension.

Muttering to himself that his feeling was just a by-product of fatigue, he got into his car and was soon heading for home.

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Henri Bashere closed his cell phone after listening to Johnson's signal. Right on schedule, just as he had planned. This was going to be a costly operation but one that was well worth it. If all went as expected … and it would… his business would have the potential to more than triple once he had the help of a certain mathematician.

Henri never left anything to chance. He never went into any operation without fully researching every aspect of it himself. Bashere was the ultimate multi-step thinker and was a follower of Sun-Tzu. The one and only time that he had not followed through on his own research had almost resulted in his own death and had cost him a valuable acquisition. That was not going to happen this time.

He watched as the Professor headed for his car and barely got out of view when the young man suddenly turned around as if he was searching for something. As the professor turned to gaze at another building , Bashere raised his camera up to his eyes and focused his telescopic lens back on his target.

" _Ah, there you are my young friend and you look so tired tonight. I think it's time you took a vacation and I have the perfect place for us to go._" he whispered in a voice that was thick with excitement. "_Step 1 my friend is in play, we are moving forward _" and humming softly to himself he began to snap the pictures.

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The following morning had been just as hectic for the young professor and he was looking forward to lunch. He was just finishing up with his class and answering a few last minute questions for the upcoming final when he noticed a strange man in the hallway outside of his office. Although slightly distracted he re-focused his attention back on the student and once again explained the proper way to calculate a particular equation. Twelve o'clock finally rolled around and as he dismissed his class he noticed that the man was no longer standing in the corridor.

Charlie locked his office door and joined the steady stream of people in the hallways. As he walked he kept an eye out for the stranger and although he never spotted the man again he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. The feeling was unsettling and he quickened his pace to the cafeteria and found Larry waiting for him by the door.

"There you are Charles." the older man greeted him as people continued to pass them by on their way inside. They followed the crowd and took their place in line for the food.

"It would appear that everyone is eating on campus today. " The older man observed as he perused the crowded room.

"Where's Amita?" the younger man asked as they filled their trays.

"She's saving an outside table for us and she told me to tell you that she would like to have a salad and an unsweetened iced tea.. Oh, and don't forget the lemon."

"Lemon." Charlie grinned as he said the word at the same time as his friend.

Larry returned his grin and soon they were outside and scanning the area for Amita.

Charlie spotted her first. "There she is Larry….the table at the end of the deck." he pointed to the table and they made their way through the crowded area.

Amita greeted Charlie with a light kiss as she helped remove the food from the trays.

"I'm famished." she said eagerly reaching for her salad fork.

"Me too." the younger man agreed as he unwrapped his sandwich and took a bite.

"I must agree with you both." the older professor commented. "Ah, sweet sustenance."

Charlie ate and talked with his friends but toward the end of the meal that feeling of being watched returned and his eyes drifted from them to the surrounding people. Once he thought he spotted the man in the hallway but when he looked back, the man was no longer there.

"Charlie, what's wrong?

Amita and Larry had noticed his distraction and he turned back to find both of them staring at him worriedly.

"Ah….nothing." he shrugged, "It's probably nothing."

"Charles, what is going on?"

He hesitated a moment before speaking. "I don't know…it's just that last night and today," he paused with a slight shrug of his shoulders. " I sorta got the feeling that someone was watching me. I'm probably just being paranoid."

Amita and Larry shared a concerned look. This had happened once before and the two of them had laughed it off until someone had actually tried to kill Charlie. They were not about to take this lightly.

Amita grabbed his hand. "Charlie, did you tell Don?"

"Well….no…I mean, I haven't actually seen anyone….it's just a feeling."

Larry was just as adamant. "You should call him right now before anyone has a chance to do anything."

"I don't really have any proof but if Don comes over tonight, I'll mention it to him." A sudden thought brought a grin to his face and he caught Amita's eye.

"Did I tell you that he and Robin are dating again?"

She shook her head and returned his grin but remarked. "Don't try and change the subject Charlie. Promise me that you will tell him how you feel."

Charlie sighed. "Okay, I promise."

The young professor glanced at his watch and began gathering up the lunch trays and garbage. "I've got to get going, I have another class in fifteen minutes."

"Oh, dear, where did the time go?' Professor Fleinhart muttered as the three of them made a hasty departure.


	4. Chapter 4

-1

Title: Obsession

Author: 1st endeavor

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: I really appreciate your reviews.

**Sun-Tzu The Art of War**

**Therefore , if able, appear unable**

**If near, appear far**

Chapter 4:

Tuesday evening:

The Craftsman was the only true place that Don could go and be totally at ease. Even in his own apartment he could not find the comfort that he needed . The only place he could find that feeling was at his childhood home. Although it belonged to his brother now, it still felt like the home that he had grown up in and many times after a bad day he would go there and unwind with his Dad and brother.

Today was no exception and with the hope of improving on how things would go tomorrow, he had brought with him the personnel file of Detective O'Connell. Hoping to gain some insight into the man, Don had been perusing his file for about forty-five minutes but to no avail. He had found nothing that would explain the man's odd behavior.

Don rubbed his eyes and glanced over at his father . Alan was sitting in another armchair directly across from him, studiously going over his class notes for his upcoming finals in his mechanical engineering course at Calsci.

"Your taking that class pretty seriously, huh? He asked with a teasing tone in his voice.

Alan looked up and pushed his glasses back in place. "I'm not going to let you bait me tonight, oh son of mine. You will have to find something else to do for your entertainment."

"Ah….come one Dad." he said, "I' need a break, how about you?"

"No, I can't, I really have to get this done." However, Alan was curious about the file that Don was reading so he took the opportunity to find out what it was . He motioned toward the file in his son's hand. "What have you got there Donnie?

The smile faded from Don's face as he closed the folder.

"Just a file on a detective from Ireland . He's says he's here to study our techniques in crime solving….but….I don't know. He's a real hard ass, and I just can't figure him out." Don stood up and stretched his back. "He's supposed to be here for a month, if we don't kill him first."

"Come on Donnie, the man can't be that bad."

"Dad, at this point we are considering drawing straws to see who gets to do it, and it's only been two days."

"I'm going to grab a beer, would you like one?'

"No, thanks son."

Don headed for the kitchen but stopped by the dining room table. "Where did you say Charlie was tonight?"

"He said he had some late office hours. You know how he is with finals coming up, he likes to be available for the students, in case they need any help.." Alan answered without looking up.

"Right." his son murmured as he continued on out to the kitchen.

A few minutes later Don returned from the kitchen with a beer in hand and settled back down in the chair propping one leg up on the small table in front of him.

"Maybe I should go and check up on him… make sure he's okay."

This time Alan did look up and peering over the top of his glasses he remarked.

"What's up, what's got you so edgy?"

Don shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know, just a feeling. After what happened before…. I just get a little nervous when he's not here."

Alan pulled his glasses off and stared at his son. "I seem to recall that you once told me that he ... let's see how did you put it, ah yes, that he was a grown man. Does that sound familiar?"

"Yeah, yeah." Don said as he scrubbed a hand through his hair. " Look, Dad, I know what I said and I know that he's a grown man. It's just that I worry about him, especially after the kidnapping last year." he stopped talking and took a sip of his beer.

"Donnie," Alan sighed. "I feel the same way you do but he has to live his own life and you and I will just have to deal with it."

The sound of a key turning in a lock caused them both to turn toward the front door just as a tired Charlie Eppes stepped through the doorway. He turned and closed it behind him before setting his bag down and putting his keys in the green fluted bowl on the round table in the foyer. The young man shrugged out of his jacket and hung it on a peg near the door before shuffling over to the couch.

"Hey guys" he said tiredly as he sat down and sighing audibly he closed his eyes and leaned back against the cushions.

"Hey Chuck, what happened?" Don couldn't help himself, he loved to tease his brother. "Maybe you shouldn't make your classes so tough, then you wouldn't have to stay late and explain it again."

Charlie managed to open one eye and glare at his brother, "You know Donald, one of these days I'm going to get you in front of a blackboard and make you write the "Eppes Convergence" over and over again until you fully understand it." His eye closed once again as he burrowed deeper into the sofa cushions.

"Ouch!" his brother responded grinning from ear to ear, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

"What do you think Dad, does that sound like a threat to you.? " Don made himself more comfortable and took another drink of his beer.

"You better watch it bro, I think you just threatened a Federal Officer. I just might have to take you in.?"

Charlie didn't even bother to open his eyes this time, he just replied.. "Yeah, I'd like to see you try and do it, G-man."

Alan couldn't help but smile at the banter between his sons; they had come such a long way and a rocky relationship that had begun when they were children, had grown into a true friendship between brothers. If only his Margaret could have lived to see how close the boys had finally become.

A knock at the door interrupted Don's retort to his brother's challenge.

"I suppose I should get that." Charlie mumbled without making a move or even opening his eyes.

"Naw, I'll get it bro, just stay where you are." Don said as he got up from the chair. " Are you guys expecting anyone?"

Without waiting for an answer he walked over and opened the door and found himself face to face with a stranger.

The man was tall and thin and stood slightly hunched over. He had sandy blonde hair that was long enough to touch the collar of his sweatshirt and Don put his age somewhere in his mid-fifties.

The agent took all of this in a matter of seconds and as he looked into the man's green eyes he asked.

"Can I help you?"

The man's timid voice seemed to emphasize his Scottish accent as he answered Don's question. "Ah…yes…ah…this is a bit awkward."

" My name is Angus Fitzgerald and I've just leased the Patterson's residence across the street." He motioned to the house behind him as he spoke and then extended his hand toward Don.

Don shook his hand and introduced himself. "Don Eppes."

The man continued on in his friendly manner. "I was told by a few of the other neighbors that you have a koi pond."

"Yeah, what about it?" the agent asked.

"Well, I'm rather knew at taking care of koi, and I was hoping that you could give me a few pointers."

Don smiled and shook his head. "Then you need to talk to my father, he's the resident expert on koi."

Angus stepped inside and looked around as Don closed the door behind him.

"You have a beautiful home." he commented to the younger man.

"Actually, it's my brother's house." the agent remarked as he lead the man to the living room.

Alan looked up as they entered the room and quickly set his papers aside as he stood up to greet them.

Don glanced at his brother only to find that he had apparently fallen asleep. Charlie had taken off his shoes and was stretched out on the couch with one arm crossed over his eyes.

"Dad, this is Angus Fitzgerald, he's renting the Patterson's house."

Angus offered his hand and as Alan shook it he spoke softly. "It's nice to meet you. I didn't know Jack and Beth were planning on renting their house, where did they go?"

A soft murmur interrupted the conversation diverting their attention to the young man on the couch. As Charlie rolled over to get more comfortable his right arm slipped over the edge of the couch, dangling in mid-air.

Alan whispered and turned to lead the man from the room. "My youngest is really exhausted, let's go in here so we won't disturb him."

Don watched as the man's eyes drifted over to the couch and came to rest on his brother; they seemed to linger on him as Alan led him out toward the kitchen.

He watched as they left the room and felt the hair prickling on the back of his neck; the agent couldn't put his finger on it but he was suddenly wary of the man. Crossing over to the couch he bent down and gently placed Charlie's arm at his side. Taking one last look at his sleeping brother he turned and followed the other two men out into the dining room.

Don pulled out a chair directly across from the man and sat down just as Alan was offering to make some coffee.

"That would be just grand, thanks." Angus said graciously

Don couldn't understand his sudden trepidation over the man, he seemed pleasant enough and certainly wasn't making any threatening moves….yet his gut was telling him to be careful.

"So….ah…Angus…what brings you to LA? " The agent asked innocently.

"I'm taking a course at Calsci, that's why I've leased the Patterson 's house, because it's only a few miles from the campus." he responded without hesitation.

"Really?" Don asked. "What course are you taking?" That was it, if the man said he was taking an Applied Mathematics course then he was going to run a full background check on him… immediately!

Alan chose that moment to bring in the coffee and sent his son out for more cups. Once they were settled down again and the man was sipping his coffee, Don prompted him for an answer to his question.

"What courses did you say that you were taking?"

Alan interrupted again, "Courses, are you taking classes at one of the universities?"

"Yes, as I was telling Don, I'm taking a course at Calsci."

"Calsci!" the elder Eppes exclaimed. "Why, that's where Charlie teaches."

The Scotsman looked confused. "Charlie?"

"My youngest son, the one sleeping in the other room."

Don was getting impatient, he wanted an answer to his question.

"The boy on the sofa? Why, he doesn't look old enough to be a professor."

Alan smiled proudly, "Charlie's a full tenured Professor. As a matter of fact, that's why he's so exhausted, it's finals week."

"So Angus," Don tried again. "Your taking a summer course?"

"Oh, yes," he responded as he took a sip of his coffee. "Six weeks of classes. I suppose your wondering why someone my age would be interested in going back to college?"

"No, not at all." Alan answered. "I'm taking a course and I'm older than you are."

The agent was really getting frustrated, every time he thought he was going to get an answer, his Dad would interrupt before the man could respond.

"What course are you taking?" Angus inquired.

"I'm auditing an introductory mechanical engineering course. Actually I'm studying for my finals but I've really enjoyed the class and I'm considering taking another one next fall." Alan added enthusiastically before taking a drink of his coffee.

The younger man spoke up quickly, determined to finally get an answer to his question.

"Angus, you never did answer my question. What course are you taking at Calsi?"

The man appeared truly embarrassed as he responded. "I'm very sorry, Don, I'm afraid I let myself get distracted. I'm taking a class on religion and philosophy. A Professor Trowbridge is presenting a summer class on the subject. She is one of the foremost authorities in this field and I am really excited about it."

Inwardly, Don let out a sigh of relief. Okay, so maybe he had over reacted a little bit, the guy appeared to be sincere. There was one thing though that didn't make any sense to him. The man acted as if he didn't know who Charlie was and he knew for a fact that Jack and Beth Patterson were always bragging about having his brother as a neighbor. He was just about to ask about this when the subject himself stumbled sleepily toward the room.

Charlie had slipped his shoes back on but had neglected to tie his shoe strings and the laces tapped against the floor as he approached them.

"Sorry, guys," he mumbled before a yawn escaped him. "I didn't mean to fall asleep on you." The young man rubbed at his eyes as he walked past the foyer he was unprepared for the onslaught that greeted him.

The Scotsman moved faster than Don thought he was capable of and jumped up from his chair to place himself directly in Charlie's path. With a hand outstretched toward the smaller man he loudly proclaimed himself an ardent fan.

Charlie was not fully awake and the sudden appearance of Fitzgerald caused him to react instinctively. He immediately backpedaled to get away from the strange apparition and with a yell he stumbled backwards stepping on one of his loose shoe laces. His arms hovered in the air momentarily before he lost his balance and landed flat on his back on top of the small round table . He lost consciousness when the back of his head hit the table and he slid to the floor with a loud thud as the table tipped over and came crashing down on top of him, shattering the green bowl and sending fragments of glass in all directions.

Don and Alan were around the table instantly shoving the apologetic Scotsman out of the way in their efforts to get to the young man. It took both of them to lift the table off of the unconscious mathematician.

"I think he was just knocked out Dad.' Don breathlessly tried to reassure his father as he put two fingers to his brother's neck checking for a pulse and at the same time hiding his own relief at the strong pulse he felt beneath his fingers.

"Let's put him on the couch." Alan said worriedly as he put an arm under his youngest to lift him off of the floor.

"Wait, he's starting to come around."

Charlie's eyes fluttered open and a soft moan escaped his lips as he brought a hand up to the back of his head.

"Ow…what hit me?" he whispered.

"You had a little accident, bro. Can you tell me how many fingers I'm holding up?"

Don winced when he mumbled "Too many for me to count."

"Let's get you up kiddo" his father said as he and Don helped pull him to his feet.

The young man closed his eyes as the room began to spin around him.

"I need ..to sit …down." he gasped as he swayed in their arms.

"Sure bro, just stay with us." the agent said . They pushed the distraught Scotsman out of the way and slowly made their way to the dining room table and eased him into one of the chairs.

Charlie sat with his elbows on the table, holding his head in his hands,. He kept his head bowed and eyes closed to try and keep the room from spinning around him.

Alan gently felt around the back of his son's head until he found a lump beginning to form and at a sharp intake of breath from his son, he pulled his hand quickly away.

"I'm going to get you some ice for that, don't go anywhere." he said as he patted his son's shoulder.

"Funny, Dad." Charlie muttered..

In the meantime, Angus had been nervously shifting from one foot to the other while mumbling apologetically and his last few words finally got Don's attention.

"I'm so sorry I didn't mean for him to get hurt… maybe I should just go." he said as he started to head for the door.

Don angrily flung out an arm and pointed at him. "Hey, you are not going anywhere! You have some explaining to do! Sit down!"

A hand pulled at his arm and he looked down at his brother.

"Don, not so loud, okay?" he whispered.

"Oh, sorry about that." he said in a much in lower tone.

The Scotsman hunched his shoulders and reluctantly sat down in a chair at the end of the table. He sat there with a bowed head and was nervously wringing his hands together. Occasionally, he would meekly look up at Don and Charlie only to quickly lower his eyes at Don's angry glare.

Alan returned with an ice pack, a bottled water and some aspirin. He gently placed the ice pack over the growing lump on the back of his son's head.

"Thanks Dad." Charlie said as he reached up to take the ice pack from his father and hold it to his head himself.

Don and Alan sat down on opposite sides of the younger man and watched with concern as he opened his eyes and tried to focus on his surroundings. He brought his free hand up and pinched the bridge of his nose before closing his eyes again.

As Alan patted him on the back he said. "Maybe we should take you to the emergency room. You hit the floor pretty hard son."

"No, it's okay, just give me a few more minutes."

Don opened the bottled water and shook a couple of aspirins out into the palm of his hand and set them on the table in front of his brother.

"Try and take these Charlie, they might help."

Charlie gave him a grateful look and obediently took the pills. Closing his eyes again he rubbed at his forehead. After a few minutes went by he opened his eyes again and as his vision began to clear they settled on the stranger sitting at the end of the table.

His father and brother followed his lead and soon the man had three pairs of eyes staring at him. One pair of puzzled brown eyes and two pair of angry brown eyes.

Charlie pointed a finger at the man.

"I've seen you before. You were outside my office today and I saw you in the cafeteria." he stated as a matter of fact.

The man's eyes looked like they were going to pop right out of his head. He was obviously very frightened but he shook his head sadly in confirmation.

Don gaped at the man, his anger resurfacing.

"You've been stalking him! That's what this is all about?"

"Everything that you told us was a lie. You were just trying to get close to my son!" Alan angrily retorted and then turned to his oldest.

"Donnie, can't you have him arrested or something?"

The little color that was left in the man's face quickly faded and he raised his hands to protest.

"But…but I didn't mean him any harm. I just wanted his autograph and I told the truth about everything else." he pleaded.

Don wasn't listening, he had pulled out his phone but as he started dialing his brother stopped him.

"I'm not going to press charges so you can put the phone down." Charlie said softly.

A look of surprise flitted across his brother's face. "Why the hell not?" he asked. "This man has been following you around and he hurt you."

"He didn't injure me Don, I did that myself, he just surprised me."

A glimmer of hope had crossed the Scotsman's face as he listened to the three men at the other end of the table.

Alan started to protest but his youngest son cut him off as he turned and glared at the stranger.

"He does owe us the truth, however, and I can still change my mind if he doesn't tell us exactly what he is up too."

The agent didn't agree with his brother but conceded to his request. He closed his phone and glared at the Scotsman. "Well, start explaining or I start dialing." Don grumbled menacingly.

The older man cleared his throat several times before he started to speak.

"Yes, well, ah …I am, I mean to say, ah, I was following you Professor but only because I'm a huge fan of yours and I really just wanted to get your autograph."

Silence and stares greeted him and he swallowed nervously before going on. "I really am taking a class at the university this summer and part of the reason is because you teach there and I was hoping to get a chance to meet you."

"Is that why you rented the Patterson's house too?" Alan asked angrily.

The Scotsman sighed deeply. "I had answered the ad before I knew that Dr. Eppes lived next door but…yes, I admit that was the selling point for me. They are quite proud you, you know, to be your neighbor I mean."

Charlie regarded the man curiously. He seemed genuinely sorry for what had happened, as a matter of fact, the young man was afraid he might start crying at any moment.

"Why didn't you approach me at school?"

"Your such a busy man, Dr. Eppes. Every time I thought about it, someone was always with you, and I didn't think you would appreciate being interrupted by someone who wanted your autograph."

Charlie ruefully shook his head and then immediately regretted it. He rubbed his forehead for a moment and then raised his head back up to face the man.

"Look, I don't think you meant any harm, it was just unfortunate that events worked out this way. I'll give you an autograph, but not tonight, okay?"

The man seemed to sit up straighter as his words began to register and Charlie quickly added . "It might be a good time for you to leave now."

The Scotsman stood up quickly, relieved that he could finally make his escape.

"Oh, thank you, thank you. It's so nice of you not to press any charges." he said, daring a quick glance at Don only to look away when he took notice of the angry scowl on the agent's face.

Alan was on his feet as soon as Fitzgerald took his first steps toward them. He planted himself in front of Charlie with his hands on his hips in a stance that told the man he should head directly for the front door.

The Scotsman took the hint and made a bee-line for the door with Alan right behind him. Angus turned at the door and once again apologized to the elder man and with one fleeting look back at the young man at the table, he opened the door and said his goodbye.

Always a man to have the last word, Alan called after the departing man.

"Next time, you might try a little honesty; you'll find it goes a long way around here!" and he slammed the door shut, making sure it was locked before going back to join his sons.

Alan's features were a mixture of anger and outrage as he returned to join his sons. "The nerve of some people." he was muttering as he joined them.

"And just what are you smiling at?" he asked his oldest, once again placing his hands on his hips.

Don was grinning from ear to ear when he asked. "Do you think he got the message Dad? Maybe you should have slammed that door a little bit harder."

"That's enough out of you young man, he was lucky I didn't hit him with the door on the way out." Alan replied emphatically.

Charlie tilted his head to the side just enough for his brother to see his own grin but not enough for Alan to see him. Suddenly a throbbing pain in the back of his head forced the grin from his face and he sighed audibly.

Alan quickly leaned over and put an arm around his shoulders.

"Charlie are you sure you don't want to go and get checked out?"

"Really, Dad, I just need to get some sleep. I'll be fine in the morning." he said as he stood up. The dizziness was gone now and all that was left was the headache. He looked around at the mess he had made when he had fallen on the table and sighing he turned toward the kitchen.

"Where are you going?" Alan asked. "Your bedroom is the other way."

Charlie stopped and rolled his eyes. "I know that Dad, I'm just going to get the broom and clean up this glass." He started to rub at the back of his neck when he caught the incredulous looks on both their faces.

"What?"

Don patted him on the shoulder. "Go to bed Charlie, you look like your going to fall over any minute now. I'll clean this up."

An expression of relief flitted across his brother's face. "Thanks, it really has been a long day. You know, I'm sorry I ever wrote that dam book." He said over his shoulder as he left the room.

Alan silently watched as his son started up the staircase with a concerned expression on his face and it wasn't until he heard Charlie click on his bedroom light that he turned around and started to clean up the mess. Don appeared with the broom and between the two of them they had the room cleaned up within a very short time

Don reached for his jacket intending to head home to his apartment but stopped as he thoughtfully studied the front door. "You know, I think I'll sleep in my old room tonight, I feel a little too tired to drive home." He glanced at his father. "Do you have a shirt that I can borrow tomorrow?"

"Of course, you know where they are and I'll make sure you have a good breakfast before you leave in the morning."

Alan went back to his class notes and Don grabbed another beer from the kitchen. He sat down in the lounge chair with the television remote but as he flipped through the channels his thoughts were really focused on the house across the street.


	5. Chapter 5

-1Title: Obsession

Author: 1st endeavor

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: I really appreciate your reviews.

**Sun-Tzu The Art of War**

**You must seek enemy spies.**

**Bribe them and instruct and retain them.**

Chapter 5:

Early the next morning Professor Larry Fleinhardt felt like he was running a race on an obstacle course. He threaded his way between students who were desperately trying to wake up and frantic teachers rushing to their classrooms. All along the crowded hallways of the Math building , Larry was doing his best to dodge students and teachers alike, while searching for his target; said target being one curly-haired mathematician.

The familiar clacking of chalk against blackboard could be heard coming from Charlie's office. The door stood half open and Larry peeked in to see what his young friend was doing . Wearing headphones and alternating between an open book and his chalkboard, Charlie was totally immersed in an equation which appeared to be taking up most of his chalkboard. Larry paused to knock on the half open door to give his friend a little warning of his presence. Ordinarily, he would have knocked and walked right in but considering how nervous the young man had been at lunch yesterday, he didn't want to take the chance of surprising him.

The first knock didn't get a response. "Charles?"

He gave it a much harder knock this time. Charlie turned around, his face breaking into a grin as he removed the headphones.

"Hey, Larry."

The older professor strolled over to the blackboard and perused the equation before him.

"Impressive, Charles, impressive, I can see a paper coming from this." Hefting his bag to his shoulder he added. "I thought I would walk with you to class and I wanted to ask you if you had talked to Don last night about your feelings of being watched."

Charlie grabbed his own bag and they walked out into the busy hallway, pausing just long enough to close and lock his door.

"I'm pretty sure we've taken care of that Larry." he said as he pocketed his keys. As they joined the throng of students and teachers he explained the events of the previous evening and how Fitzgerald had been following him.

"So, you see, there's nothing to worry about."

Just as he finished speaking, the voice of a news broadcaster caught their attention and they scanned the hallway for the source. The door to the professor's lounge was halfway open so they took a quick peek inside. There was a breaking news story about a bank robbery in Ventura but a glance at the clock over the TV had them racing back out into the hallway to join the mad rush to the classrooms.

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"This is Jamie Martin coming to you live from the Ventura National Bank where only moments ago, three men robbed it at gunpoint. The suspects reportedly fled south in a gray sedan. FBI agents have just arrived on the scene and are now officially taking over the investigation."

The cameraman focused on the entrance to the bank as two men in suits and several LAPD officers entered the structure before panning back to the newscaster.

"According to LAPD officers, no shots were fired and no injuries have been reported. An undisclosed amount out of cash was taken from the ….."

A deafening noise suddenly reverberated all around them, mingled with screams and shouts . The camera's video picture was suddenly swaying from side to side as the cameraman was pushed around from frightened spectators.

"Oh my God!….quick turn the camera around!"

The cameraman finally found a secure place away from the jostling crowd and focused back on the bank . Large dark plumes of smoke could be seen pouring out of the broken windows and the shattered glass doors.

"This is Jamie Martin reporting live from the Ventura National Bank where a bomb has just exploded." The camera picture stayed on the bank and people were seen rushing out of the now burning building.

"There were FBI agents and police officers still inside when an explosion ripped through the bank building and it is not known at this time how many of them have been able to escape from the burning building."

The TV news anchor cut in and began a live video feed from a news helicopter giving the viewer a birds eye view of the approaching fire engines and the bank building, now engulfed in flames.

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It was late afternoon and Don's team had just returned from the Ventura National Bank. They were now officially handling the investigation. The two agents that had originally been assigned the task, were both now residing at Ventura General Hospital, recovering from broken bones and burns. One LAPD officer was in satisfactory condition but most of the people just had cuts and bruises to show for their traumatic experience. All in all, the people inside the bank had been very lucky.

The worst of the blast had been centered in an office on the second floor and all personnel at the time of the explosion were downstairs in the main lobby where the robbery had taken place. Most of the forensic evidence was still being gathered but they had been given a few of the bomb fragments to work with.

Photos of the damaged building and the surrounding area were already up on the board but the security video had been destroyed in the blast. The gunmen had given the teller two notes and fortunately they had survived with only a few smudges on the corners. Forensics still had the notes looking for fingerprints but they had managed to get copies of them.

O'Connell's mood had reverted back to the affable man he had appeared to be in the beginning. Having spent the first few days immersed in their old cases he was now whole-heartedly committed to the bank bombing case; it appeared that bombings were his specialty.

Don wasn't surprised at this considering where the man was from. The Irishman was becoming more relaxed around them now and had given them new insights into the world of explosives, specifically bombs.

"I can tell you right now that this particular bomb was rigged with a remote detonated device." he said as he held up a piece of the bomb fragment.

"How can you be so sure?" Megan asked as she put her glasses on and took a closer look at the bomb fragment.

The detective pointed at a spot on the fragment as he explained.

"This type of armature is only used on a remote activated device. Believe me, I've been around the IRA long enough to know the difference. Someone probably left a bomb in a briefcase. Something like that wouldn't appear suspicious in an office so he had a pretty good chance of success. Then all he had to do was leave and hang around outside until it was time to detonate." He paused momentarily looking at his gloved hands before raising his head and making eye contact with them.

"I almost lost my hands in a bombing similar to this one, scarred them up pretty badly." he added quietly.

"That's why you wear the gloves." David commented softly.

As the Irishman shook his head it seemed to give him more of a human quality. "That's why I am so passionate about learning your methods. If we can predict a pattern then we may be able to save someone else from this."

This soft side took Don by surprise. Maybe the guy wasn't so bad after all, was it possible that beneath that hard exterior there was actually a nice person. The man had been with them for a long three days and since their initial confrontation he had kept pretty much to himself. This was the first time that he had opened up to any of them.

Don could see from the expressions on the faces of his team that O'Connell was having the same effect on them. He cleared his throat and walked around the room.

"Okay, what about motive. They already had the money so why bomb the bank?"

Megan pulled her off her glasses and leaned back in her chair before answering. "I've been thinking about that. Maybe the bomb was left to provide a diversion."

Don tilted his head thoughtfully. "All attention is focused on the bank, giving them a better chance of making a clean getaway." He brought his hand up and rubbed it across his mouth while he thought about her suggestion. "I don't know, what about the two notes? Why leave two, one with instructions for the teller and one addressed to us with only numbers. Any thoughts on that?"

With a shake of her head, the pretty agent handed him the copies of the notes. "Until we get those numbers deciphered I can't even begin to guess but the fact that it was addressed to us tells me that it's someone we've had contact with before."

Colby snorted. "Yeah, I'm not a profiler Megan, but even I figured that one out."

She ignored him. "We're running the hand-writing through FISH, but it's early, nothing has shown up yet."

Patrick looked puzzled. "I'm sorry, what's FISH?"

Colby picked up the explanation. "Forencs Information System for Handwriting, it was developed by the secret service for handwriting analysis."

Don moved them along. " What do we know about the office where the bomb was planted?"

David pulled out his notebook and flipped to a page. "A company called the M & K Technical company. I'm still compiling information on them."

Don picked up the teller's note and read it aloud. "Hand over the money or I'll kill everyone here, not exactly original is it?" he squinted at the second note. "What do you suppose these numbers mean?"

8 5 20 16 1 12 4 4 14 1 9 6 2

"They could mean anything." David shrugged. "The techs aren't sure, they're still running them through some of Charlie's algorithms."

"Perhaps it's time to consult Dr. Eppes on this case? O'Connell eagerly suggested.

Colby crossed his arms and sat back on the edge of his desk. "You know, Charlie would probably already have those numbers deciphered for us."

Don shook his head. "We can consult with one of the bureau's mathematicians."

Quickly raising a hand to stop the objections from his team members he went into further detail to explain.

"I know…I know…they're not as fast as Charlie, but this is finals week at Calsci, and you know how he is during this time of the year; he's already exhausted. I don't want to ask him unless we really have to."

"Finals….finals?" O'Connell repeated, disbelief etched on his features. "Maybe the Professor should get his priorities straight, after all, bombings are more important than finals!"

Don did an immediate about face. "Let's get one thing straight Detective." The agent's angry stare and cold voice silenced the Irishman immediately. " Dr. Eppes is a full-time Professor at one of the most prestigious universities in this country and that is his priority…… as it should be. He is a part-time consultant for the F.B.I and we are dam lucky that we have him!"

The agent paused to give the man time to absorb his words as he closed the gap between them. They stood eye to eye now and Don was just getting started.

"I would think twice, if I were you, before you form an opinion about someone that you have never even met and start putting them down. I've lost count of how many times my brother has worked all day at Calsci and then spent the entire night on a case for us. He has more than earned his place on this team, and I'll be dammed, if I'm going to stand around and listen to someone put him down."

"This is hardly the professional attitude that I expected from you, Agent Eppes." the Irishman retorted defensively, refusing to back down.

" Look, I'm tired of this, your attitude since you have been here could hardly be called professional., you have a chip on your shoulder that you should have left in Ireland."

Don drew himself up and added. "If you find my attitude less than professional, feel free to speak with the assistant director and have yourself assigned to another team." He started to walk away but turned back and added.

"Oh, and one more thing, all professionalism aside, you might want to remember that Charlie is my brother!"

Megan suddenly stepped forward. "And my friend."

"And mine." David added quietly

"Mine too." Colby nodded in agreement.

O'Connell stared from face to face and swallowed. "Look, I meant no disrespect to Dr. Eppes. It's just that where I'm from we just wouldn't have the luxury to wait….that's all."

He took a deep breath and then looked the lead agent right in the eye. "I'm sorry, I was out of line. I would really like to stay with your team, Agent Eppes."

Don inclined his head and studied the man closely.

"All right, let's get back to work. We've got a case to solve and for the record, we aren't going to just wait, we'll find a mathematician that is available."

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Later that night, Don opened the door to the Craftsman hoping to unwind with his family.

"Hello." he called out as he shrugged out of his jacket . The agent pulled a folded piece of paper from his jacket pocket and jammed it into a pocket of his jeans. Apparently all of the mathematician's on the bureau's payroll were busy with other cases. It had taken them most of the day but they had finally found another mathematician . Problem was, he needed time to figure out the note and it was obvious to Don that it wasn't going be anytime soon. So with that in mind he had made a copy of the numbers just in case Charlie had time to look at them. He removed his gun and cuffs and left them on the round table in the foyer.

"Dad….Charlie?" Both of their cars were parked outside but a quick look around downstairs failed to materialize his missing family members. Strolling to the kitchen he grabbed a beer from the refrigerator and headed for the garage. He could hear voices and as he got closer the door swung outward and Alan and Charlie emerged.

Charlie's eyes widened in surprise and his lips lifted in a smile. "Hey, Don, when did you get here?"

"Long enough to grab a beer." he said lifting it up to show him. "What are you guys up too?"

Charlie rolled his eyes. "What else? I'm still preparing my tests for tomorrow's finals and Dad's busy studying."

"Donnie, follow me to the kitchen and I'll re-heat the leftovers for you." Alan was already at the kitchen door before Don could answer.

Charlie nudged him with his elbow. "You might as well eat it, it'll be on the table by the time we get in there anyway."

"Actually, I am a little hungry."

Charlie was right, by the time they got inside, Alan was placing the leftover lasagna in the microwave and handed Don a place setting for the table. He carried the dinnerware in and set it on the table with Charlie only a step behind him.

"Hey, are you guys working on that bank bombing case?"

"Yeah, actually Charlie there was……." Don was interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Sorry, bro…be right back." Charlie called over his shoulder.

Don started to turn back to the kitchen when he suddenly realized how silent the room had become. Charlie had answered the door but Don couldn't hear his voice or any other voice for that matter. Puzzled, he walked around the table so he could see the front door just as Alan came out carrying the warmed up lasagna.

"Here you go Donnie, eat up." The elder man sat the plate on the table and looked around. "What's the front door doing open?"

Don looked at him sideways as headed for the door, picking up his gun along the way and automatically attaching it to his belt.

"Charlie went to answer it." he answered absently, his attention focused on what might be going on outside of the house. He hurried outside with Alan right on his heels. They were on the porch in a matter of seconds but it was empty just like the front yard and the street in front of them.

Alan's eyes widened as he turned to his oldest. "Where did he go? Did you hear what they were saying?"

Don shook his head as he continued to scan the area. "That's just it Dad, there weren't any voices, he just opened the door and when I didn't hear anything, I got up to look and he was gone.."

Alan ran down the front steps calling for his youngest son. "Charlie!" "Charlie!" He turned and started around the house. "I'm going to check the backyard."

Don didn't answer but jogged to the edge of the sidewalk and checked the street in both directions. Nothing, not even a neighbor in sight. He called out his brother's name several times as he paced anxiously along the walkway.

"Donnie!" Alan breathlessly joined him. "He's not in the backyard, the garage or the house. What happened to him?'

Don shrugged helplessly and answered. "I don't know Dad….there's no sign of him."

"Hey….what's going on?'

They both whirled around, worry turning instantly to relief, as Charlie came jogging up to them.

Don's anxiety turned suddenly to anger as he grabbed his brother's arm. "How could you just run off like that? We didn't know what happened to you."

Startled, the younger man stepped back and jerked his arm away. "Your hurting me Don." he said with a defensive tone in his voice. "I didn't mean to worry you."

Recognizing the beginning signs of an argument between his sons, Alan quickly intervened.

"Look, Charlie, we were worried about you….you just disappeared."

Raising a placating hand to forestall any further comments Charlie tried to explain. "Look, when I opened the door, no one was there but I thought I saw someone running away…so I gave chase."

Don gaped at him in astonishment his anger resurfacing. "What….how could you do something so stupid. Suppose it had been a trap or someone trying to get you alone. Have you already forgotten about Bashere?"

Charlie paled a little at the mention of the name but clenched his jaw in anger at his brother's reaction. "No, Don, I haven't forgotten. You didn't let me finish. I recognized the person, it was one of my students. He probably wanted to ask about an equation that he is having difficulty with and chickened out after he knocked on the door." he turned away and angrily walked back toward the house. Alan spared Don an irritated glare before he rushed to catch up with Charlie.

Regret crossed Don's features and he hurried to catch up with them, desperately trying to think of something that he could say to make amends. He hadn't meant to say that but Charlie's casual regard for his own safety had hit a nerve and the dreaded name had burst forth. It was a name that sparked fear in all three of them and one that they avoided most of the time. Don was still checking with fugitive recovery on a regular basis regarding the man, but all of their leads had failed to find him. It was as if the man no longer existed.

They were almost to the front door when a voice called out to Charlie stopping him in his tracks.

"Professor , Professor Eppes…..could you spare a moment?"

Already annoyed with Don, Charlie was not in the mood to deal with Angus Fitzgerald but he turned around as the man hurried up the sidewalk carrying a gift-wrapped box in his arms.

"Yes, Mr. Fitzgerald." he answered in his most professional tone. He didn't want to deal with this right now and Alan and Don's over protectiveness was really getting on his nerves tonight, especially since they both took up protective stances on either side of him.

Sensing that he was interrupting something, the Scottsman quickly shoved the box into the young man's hands.

"I….ah…I'm so happy to see that you have suffered no permanent effects from last night and I wanted to apologize for my behavior." he managed to stammer out after a glance at Don and Alan's angry scowls..

Puzzled Charlie asked. "What's this?"

"Ah…just a little token . Please forgive my intrusion last night." He pleaded, rubbing his hands together nervously.

Charlie tried to hand the package back. "This isn't necessary."

"No….please…I insist. Ah, I have to go now." and without another word he turned and fled to the safety of the house across the street.

Alan's voice broke the silence. "That is one strange man."

"Your not kidding." Don said thoughtfully as the man disappeared into the house. "His story checked out though."

Charlie's eyes widened in disbelief. "You checked him out?"

Don shrugged in surprise. "Of course. "

Shaking his head, the younger man entered the house muttering under his breath and placed the box on the table. There was a note of apology inside from Fitzgerald begging for forgiveness and a replacement for the broken bowl.

"Check this out." the young man said as he pulled it out of the box. It was almost an exact copy of the green fluted bowl, but it was much heavier. "I think he paid a lot more for this one than you and Mom did for the other one Dad; this is made of crystal." He scooped up the paper and the empty box and walked away.

"Hey, where are you going?" Alan asked.

Charlie stopped with his hand on the swinging door to the kitchen. "Back to the garage, I still have a lot of work to do and I promised a few students that I would hold early office hours tomorrow." He pushed on through the door and moments later they heard the door to the garage open and close.

Alan sighed and tapped Don on the shoulder to get his attention. "Come on, you should eat, I'll re-heat it for you if it's cold."

Don nodded silently and followed Alan to the table. He sat down and took a bite, it wasn't hot but it was still warm.

"I'll get us some water."

Alan returned moments later with the water and sat down across from him.

Scowling, Don viciously stabbed the lasagna as he ate. He knew that look, his dad wanted to talk but he was still angry with his brother and wasn't in any mood for talking.

"I'm glad that I'm sitting over here. I wouldn't want to be mistaken for a piece of lasagna and accidentally get impaled on your fork."

"Sorry." his son mumbled. "Charlie makes me so angry, Dad., he just doesn't take his safety seriously enough." he paused and took a drink of water. "Bashere is still out there, he's got to be more careful."

"Listen to me Donnie." Alan reached over and patted his forearm. "Your brother is trying to get on with his life and put what happened behind him. He is careful, you heard him, he recognized the person as a student. He wouldn't run off and chase a stranger, you know that, right?'

Don continued to eat in silence but much slower now, his anger fading with his father's words.

"Charlie thinks differently than you or your agents. He saw a student that needed his help and that was all that mattered. He's got a big heart, you know that too."

Don raised his head and with sad eyes whispered. "I don't want his big heart to get him killed ."

Stricken by the sadness in Don's eyes, Alan was suddenly at a loss for words.


	6. Chapter 6

-1

Obsession

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: I really appreciate your reviews.

**Sun-Tzu The Art of War**

**Calculate advantages by means of what was heard, then create force in order to assist outside missions.**

Chapter 6:

Friday

"Look, Peter, all you had to do was ask and I would have set some study time aside to go over these last two equations with you."

Charlie was standing behind his desk talking to a student. Peter Langley stood on the other side of his desk with his head bowed and nervously shifting from foot to foot. His blonde curls slightly shaking from his agitated state and he looked as if he was ready to bolt for the door at any moment.

The young professor raised his hands in a calming manner. "Why did you run last night?"

Peter slowly raised his head. "I….I knew I shouldn't have gone to your house without checking with you first Professor…and I just got scared and decided to leave before anyone came to the door."

"Obviously, I don't encourage my students to come to my home but since you were already there, you should have followed through with your objective."

Charlie smiled at the boy and tried to relieve him of some of his anxiety. "Okay, the test is on Monday, so if you can meet me here tomorrow, say around two o'clock, I'll review the problem set with you one more time."

Relief flooded the boy's features as he hefted his backpack over his shoulder with a renewed energy. "Thanks, Professor, I'll be here and thank you for not being mad because of last night." With a wave of his hand Peter was out of the door.

Charlie watched him leave with a bemused expression on his face as he turned and walked to his office window. The California sun had graced them with another gorgeous day and it brought a smile to his face to see all of the student activity outside. Most of them had found a nice sunny spot to sit and review for their upcoming finals. Some were sitting on benches or on a blanket spread out upon the grass while others were sitting at the picnic tables scattered around the campus. He loved being outside in the sunshine and fresh air, even LA's "fresh air" was better than being stuck inside on such a beautiful day.

He suddenly felt goose bumps rising on his arms and his light-hearted mood faded to one of fear as an uncontrollable shudder coursed through his body. Charlie rubbed at the back of his neck as he anxiously scanned the area outside of his office. He couldn't see anyone specifically looking up at his window, yet somehow he knew that someone was out there watching him. His eyes narrowed as he peered at the scene below but if the Scotsman was there, he was well hidden.

Charlie was so intent upon his search that he failed to hear his office door open and close, or the footsteps of the person approaching him. When he felt the arms encircle him and the voice whisper "boo" he thought his heart was going to jump right out of his chest. With a startled yell he jerked away and placed a hand on the window to steady himself.

"Charlie, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to surprise you like that. I thought you heard me come in and saw my reflection in the window." Amita raised her hand and caressed his cheek. "Are you all right?"

Embarrassed, he looked out of the window again before he met her eyes. "I'm okay, I just didn't hear you come in."

She stepped up to the window herself and scanned the area below then turned a suspicious gaze upon her lover. "You felt it again, didn't you…that someone was watching you."

He shook his head. "No, I think I'm just tired, that's all."

"I thought you said you figured it out, that it was that Scotsman from the other night."

Charlie shrugged his shoulders and moved away from the window and started gathering up his test folders to put them in his bag. "It was him, who else could it be?'

Amita came closer and put a hand on his arm. "Charlie, maybe you should talk to Don about this and…"

He pulled away from her and rolled his eyes. "Don…Don doesn't need to know about this. He's gone way overboard with being the "protective older brother." He walked around the room waving his arms as he talked. "If Don hears one more thing, I'll be hand cuffed to him and he'll throw away the key." He stopped and gathered her in his arms. "Please, let's just keep this to ourselves, I'm just being paranoid, that's all"

Charlie lowered his head and kissed her as he pulled her close. "Hmm….that was nice." he whispered in her ear.

She leaned into him and ran her hand through his curls lost in his expressive brown eyes.

"Wish we could stay here." she murmured.

"Yeah, me too, but we can't." he pulled away. "Come on, we've got to get to class."

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Don sat at his desk and stared moodily into his coffee cup re-thinking last night's misadventure. After dinner he and his father had talked for a little while longer and it had helped ease his nerves but he still had this overall feeling that he was missing something, but he just couldn't put his finger on it. He scrubbed his hand through his hair in frustration. There had to be some way to get his feelings across to Charlie and make him understand. Don was certain that he had heard the word "overprotective" as Charlie had walked into the house mumbling to himself. He had to find some way to smooth things over with him. Maybe once the finals were over and this case was solved they could go hiking or something. Just the two of them so he could explain his concerns to his brother.

"Penny for your thoughts."

He looked up as Megan sat herself down on the corner of his desk. "You know, I am a profiler, I can tell when there is something wrong. It might help to talk about it." She tilted her head as he just stared at her. "Is it Robin?"

"No, Robin's fine." he said a little gruffly as he reached for his coffee cup and took a sip, sputtering a little as he quickly set it back down again. "I just got that coffee and it's already cold."

Megan snorted. "Just got it, it's been setting on your desk for the past thirty minutes." she narrowed her eyes and studied him. "Hmm, if it's not Robin is must be a curly-haired sibling."

Don's eyebrows rose and he tried to look stern. "You know, I really hate it when you profile me, but your right…it's Charlie."

"Why, what did he do now?"

"Nothing, really, I just want him to be more careful. He just doesn't take his own safety seriously enough."

She sat up straighter. "Oh, this is about his feeling that someone is watching and following him isn't it? Larry told me about it." She tilted her head thoughtfully. "Larry said that Charlie told him that you guys had figured it out."

Don's eyes widened as she spoke and he sat up straighter. "He thinks that he's being watched and…"

Megan quickly came to her feet. "He didn't tell you? " She watched as Don's brown eyes began to cloud over in anger. "Oops… you didn't hear that from me. I'm going back to my desk now." She started to leave but turned back at the sound of a stranger's voice.

"Agent Eppes?"

Don looked up and studied the thin man leaning casually against the door. He looked like a homeless person, dressed in ragged jeans and stained sweat shirt, long hair tied back in a pony tail and that had to be at least two days worth of stubble on his face. The badge clipped to his jeans pocket however, told a different story.

"_Undercover job._" Don mused before answering. "I'm Eppes."

" Carl Hendricks." he inclined his head without shifting his position . " I'm with Narcotics on the 2nd floor. Last night my team made a drug bust in an abandoned warehouse on the east side."

Don leaned back in his chair. "I hope it was successful, Agent Hendricks but I fail to see what that has do do with us."

"It was a good bust and I actually have something for you." the agent responded as he straightend up and approached Don's desk.

"Imagine our surprise when we found a note on a dead body that was addressed to you and your team. When the Assistant Director saw it he suspected that it might be related to your bombing case and he asked me to give you all of our info on the case."

"Does this DB have a name?'

Hendricks shook his head. "Not yet, but were working on it."

"What kind of note?" Colby asked as he stood up and strolled over to join them.

The agent looked up and Don made introductions all around waving a hand at them as he said each of their names.

"Reeves, Sinclair, Granger and that's O'Connell."

Agent Hendricks nodded to each of them as he finished his account of the night before. "It's just a bunch of numbers. I made you a duplicate of our files and here's the note ." he handed Don a flash drive and the note in a plastic bag.

"Your people still have the scene secure?"

"Yeah, forensics still had a little more work to do."

"We'll need to go on-site ourselves."

"Understood. I'll let my people know ." The narcotics agent straightened up to leave but hesitated pointing to the note. "Any idea what that means?"

"Not yet, but we'll figure it out"

Hendricks scratched at his beard and shrugged. "Should I tell my guys you'll be there soon?"

"Just tell them we'll be there sometime this afternoon."

" I'm out of here." Hendricks left with a wave of his hand as he headed for the elevators.

"Great, just what we need, another set of numbers. We don't have the first set deciphered yet." Don complained as he walked over to the board and placed the new note next to the old one. "

9 12 23 12 25 1 16 18 6 15 18 5 20 9 8

"Different numbers." David mumbled. "I'll send these to Dr. Martin, maybe he can come up with something now that he has more numbers to work with."

Colby scoffed. "Do you want to bet on that?"

"Come on Colby the man can't be that bad." Don commented with more that a little irritation in his voice.

Megan tucked a loose hair back behind her ear as she leaned closer to the board.

"You know, I think the handwriting is the same. Of course, we'll need to have it authenticated, but it sure looks the same to me."

"I don't get it." the lead agent shook his head. "First a bank robbery and bombing and now narcotics. What are these guys really trying to accomplish here?" He didn't wait for any answer but turned around and started giving instructions.

"Let's get down to the warehouse, see if we can turn up anything." Don ordered. "O'Connell, you can ride with Megan and me."

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Bashere was furious. "Tell me again why I am not celebrating the demise of Agent Eppes and his team at this moment." The knuckles of the hand holding the phone were white from squeezing the instrument so hard.

Johnson's grip on his phone was the opposite. The palms of his hands were all sweaty and he was actually in danger of dropping it. "Look it wasn't my fault. How was I suppose to know that a drug deal was going to go down after we planted the body."

"What about the explosives?"

"We… ah, didn't have time to plant it."

"Hold on, I've got an incoming call."

Johnson paced nervously around his office, the cell phone in his hand and he literally jumped when Bashere's voice came back on the line.

"You have a chance to redeem yourself Mr. Johnson. I have a source at the FBI that has been looking out for us and he has successfully kept the most pertinent information from Agent Eppes. However, he is not certain how long he can do this without someone getting suspicious and if Eppes sees the body he will know that I am back in LA and that will ruin all of my plans."

Johnson had never been accused of stupidity, but he really wanted an answer to a question.

"Look, I don't understand. If Eppes seeing the body will tell him that your behind everything, then why take that chance. Why have us leave the man there for him to find?"

"Because you were supposed to blow him up, you idiot!" Bashere gritted his teeth and spoke very slowly; he wanted to be certain that Johnson got the message.

"First, they would find the body and the note, second, he would immediately call his brother and have him decipher the code and third, he would realize who I was and it would be too late for him to do anything about it **because he would be dead!! **

Johnson flinched and held the phone back from his ear. He licked his lips nervously and listened as the man gave him a new set of instructions.

"Now he will have to die without knowing who has killed him or what fate has in mind for his younger brother but I can live with that so listen very carefully Mr. Johnson and don't forget we still have three more tasks to complete before we are finished."

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.

Alan flipped through his papers as he sipped his iced tea. He was sitting on a bench outside of the Mechanical Engineering building on the campus at Calsci reviewing his class notes before going to Ray Galuski's class. Charlie had taken some time to explain the problem set to him and now he understood how to work the equations. The memory brought a smile to his face; he had to admit that his son was a pretty good teacher. He was so engrossed in his work that he missed the approaching footsteps and was caught off guard when he heard the Scottish accent.

"Hello Alan, er…I mean Mr. Eppes."

Alan's glasses had slid down to the bridge of his nose and he looked over them at the man standing in front of him.

"Mr. Fitzgerald." he responded curtly.

Angus flushed and looked away from the scowling expression on Alan's face.

"Err….ah…might I have a word with you?" he asked timidly.

Alan continued to look through his papers and when he answered his voice was full of impatience. "I don't believe that we have anything to discuss."

"Please, I would just like to explain. May I sit?" he gestured toward the empty seat next to Alan and sank down on the bench without waiting for an answer.

Alan looked at his watch and started to gather his things together without commenting but as he began to rise, a trembling hand touched his elbow.

"Please." Angus whispered..

Alan looked around and met the man's pleading eyes His heart softened and he thought. _"It wouldn't hurt to listen for a couple of minutes, after all, Don said his story checked out." _and the man just looked so miserable. "You've got ten minutes before my class starts, so you better make it fast."

A look of hope crossed the man's face as he stammered "F...f…fast, right.. First let me apologize for lying to you and your family the other night. I was afraid Professor Eppes wouldn't see me if he thought I was after his autograph and when I saw his car pull in I hurried over to meet him." Sighing audibly, he continued while Alan checked his watch again wearing an expression that could only be called skeptical.

"I was really enjoying our conversation and for the first time since I've been in your country, I truly felt welcome. It's been a lonely trip for me but I needed to get away. My children are all grown now and have their own families. I lost my wife last year, to cancer, and this seemed like the perfect time for me to visit your country. Coming to Calsci was like a dream come true and being in LA where all of the famous celebrities are is just amazing."

Alan checked his watch again but not as impatiently as he had before. He was beginning to feel sorry for the man and the painful memory of his own loss was brought to the surface as he listened to the man's story.

"I have been a fan of your son's for some time now and I'm afraid I was so excited about meeting him that I jumped up without thinking and now I've ruined everything with my stupidity." He ruefully shook his head and looked down at his shoes. Raising his head again he asked. "Have you ever made a mistake that you wish you could take back? He didn't wait for an answer but continued. "Please, I would like to make amends somehow.

You know, start over?"

Alan pursed his lips thoughtfully and studied the Scotsman. He seemed sincere enough and despite what had happened, he found himself beginning to like the man.

"Look, I'll talk to Charlie, maybe we could have you over for dinner and we can try again." He raised his hand to forestall the man's answer. "I have to talk to him first, let me have your phone number and I'll call you. That's all I can promise."

They both stood up and Fitzgerald hastily wrote his phone number on a slip of paper and handed it to Alan , grasping his hand and shaking it as he gave it to him.

"Oh, thank you, thank you." Angus said happily.

"Don't thank me yet, this might not work. Oh, and ah, thanks for the bowl, but it really wasn't necessary."

"I truly appreciate the effort, Alan., and your more than welcome for the bowl, it was the least I could do" he paused. "I can call you Alan, right?"

Alan sighed inwardly, "Yes, you may Angus. I've got to get to class now. Bye." Alan turned quickly before the man could say anything else and hurried toward the mechanical engineering building.

Angus smiled broadly as he watched the older man hurry off to class.


	7. Chapter 7

-1Obsession

Disclaimer : See Prologue

A/N: I appreciate your reviews and I'd like to say a special "thank-you" to my parents who have become my greatest fans.

**Sun-Tsu The Art of War**

**Force is the control of the balance of power**

Chapter 7

It was after two o'clock by the time Don had his team ready to leave for the warehouse. They had downloaded the files that Agent Hendricks had given them and reviewed the details of the narcotics bust and although they had studied them in great detail, none of the agents recognized any of the names or the photos of the men that had been involved in the raid.

Don flicked on his right turn signal and left the major thoroughfare pulling onto the winding and narrow streets that would take them to Monterey Hills. He steered up and down the dusty streets, past shops and businesses that sat side-by-side with single family residences . The streets were crowded with people forcing Don and David to maneuver they're vehicles carefully around them. Children moved slowly out of the way at the sound of his horn , while the teenage boys stood on the street corners eyeing them suspiciously, smoking and showing their gang colors. Many of the older residents could be seen working in their backyards, where gardens and the occasional chicken coop could be seen.

"Is that one of the latino gangs that I've read about?" O"Connell had been so quiet during the ride that Don had almost forgotten that he was in the back seat.

Don glanced in the rear view mirror. "No, they're gang "wanna be's. Too young to join the gangs and too old to play with the younger kids."

"It's a shame really." The pretty agent commented. "They'll drop out of school and poverty will drive them to join the gangs and from their point of view becoming a gang member will be a step up for them." She eyed another small group as the vehicle passed them by. "A lot of them will be dead before they are twenty."

Don flicked on his left signal light and turned onto Lancaster street. The East Los Angeles Projects soon came into view. They passed several beautiful murals that had been painted on the sides of buildings and here and there an occasional rose bush was blooming giving some beauty to an otherwise drab and colorless scene. But the area was also shrouded with graffiti and litter which distracted the eye, and soon the murals and roses were forgotten.

East LA has a high concentration of Hispanic residents, most of them of Mexican descent and they were headed for one of the poorest sections in the area. Don turned down another narrow road and here the street was lined with houses and businesses that had been abandoned for many years. Gangland graffiti was prevalent on all of the buildings that lined both sides of this street but not a single person could be found anywhere.

"Heads up people." Don warned everyone through his radio mike. Agent Hendricks had said the site was secure but he wasn't going to take any chances. All of them were wearing their FBI windbreakers and even O'Connell had been given one. The gang's around the area were ruthless but even they would think twice before attacking five Federal Agents.

The warehouse loomed up ahead, squeezed in between two abandoned houses. It was a large plain brick building with many windows in the front of the structure, most of which were either broken or cracked. The ones that remained unbroken were so dust covered that it was hard to see through them. Numerous loading docks dotted both sides of the building and most of the doors were still intact but a few stood open, the doors having been torn off a long time ago.

There was a police cruiser parked in front of the building and an officer was leaning against the passenger side with his arms crossed. He turned toward them at the sound of the vehicles and straightened up with his feet apart and his hands resting lightly on his hips.

Don parked his SUV next to the patrol car and turned off the ignition as David pulled alongside of him and parked. He straightened his jacket as he closed the car door and out of habit checked to see if his gun was firmly clipped to his belt. The agent strolled to the front of the police car and was soon joined by the rest of his team.

"Everything secure?" Don asked the young officer as he flashed his badge and introduced himself.

"Yes, sir. Agent Eppes. Agent Hendricks called and told us to expect you."

"Us?' the agent asked looking around the area.

"My partner's checking out the back." he said, motioning toward the rear of the building with his hand. "I don't know what you expect to find; between the narcotics and forensics teams, there isn't much left to look over."

"Uh huh." Don said as he removed his sunglasses and slid them into his pocket.

"What time did the forensics guys leave?"

"About an hour ago." The officer pressed a button on the radio attached to his shirt.

"Sam, the Fed's are here."

The agents heard static and then an answering voice. "Roger that, Jay. I'm starting my way back. Over."

Don and his team headed for the door but O'Connell stopped them before they opened it.

"Don, if it's okay with you, I'd like to look around the outside of the building. I might spot something and I can check in with the officer in the back."

Don looked at him thoughtfully and then nodded his head. "Okay, it should be safe enough, just stay in touch." he said motioning to his radio.

The agents headed for the open door and gathered together a few feet inside the structure. Even though the sun was still shining brightly only a limited amount of light actually filtered into the interior of the building and there were many areas still lost in shadow. David looked around and found a small block of wood to pry underneath the door so that it would stay open and let in more light.

It looked like the warehouse had been abandoned for quite a while. Garbage lay in piles all around them . Old and filthy mattresses lay in several corners around the main entrance, sometimes covered with dirty blankets or sheets riddled with rips and holes.

"Not exactly the Ritz-Carlton, is it?" David sarcastically commented as he pulled a pair of plastic gloves from his pocket.

"You got that right.' his partner responded dryly, following David's example.

About fifty feet through the doorway they all stopped and checked out the chalk outline on the floor. Large spots of dried blood were scattered within the drawing. Don and the team had read Hendircks report so this wasn't a surprise. There had been a shoot-out, and two of the drug pushers had died at the scene; two more were in the hospital with minor wounds and another seven were in the lock up.

There were tables scattered about the room; some were still standing while many others lay on their sides, knocked over during the raid. Cubicles and rows of empty shelves lined the walls and in a corner they could see the chalk drawing of another outline.

"There's something moving around over there."

The hands of the agents automatically hovered over their guns as they turned in the direction that Colby was pointing to. Hidden in shadows they could barely make out the object that was moving.

Don squinted his eyes at the corner. "Yeah, looks like a rat." He relaxed his stance slightly as he glanced at the junior agent.

"Man, I hate rats." Colby mumbled.

Three pair of amused eyes turned toward the junior agent.

"What?" he shrugged. "I'm just saying."

David smirked at his partner. "Man up Colby, it's just a rat."

Megan rolled her eyes at him and patted him on the shoulder. "It's okay Granger, I'll protect you."

"Ha, ha Megan." The younger agent retorted as he pulled a flashlight from his pocket.

"Okay guys listen up. Megan and I will take the upstairs." Don said motioning toward a staircase to the left of them. "You two continue searching down here. The area's suppose to be cleared but let's keep alert. I gotta funny feeling that something else is going on here."

They parted ways and Don and Megan headed up the stairway. Using they're flashlights they slowly climbed the stairs. Graffiti lined the walls of the stairwell in various colors which seemed to somehow lighten the dingy , closed in space.

Finally getting Megan alone, Don began to question her as they climbed the stairs.

"Exactly when did Charlie tell Larry that he thought he was being watched?"

She sighed recognizing his tone of voice. "Shouldn't you ask Charlie about this?"

"I fully intend too, but until then, I want to know what you know."

"All right, just don't tell him that I told you." she grumbled but as they reached the second floor they fell into silence.

The second floor of the warehouse had more storage areas and more rooms than the floor below them. Doors hanging haphazardly made it a little difficult for them to maneuver around but they managed to get through them without knocking them the rest of the way down. Glass crunched under their shoes from the broken windows, and they found more mattresses lying on the floors of almost every room.

They had two more rooms to search when Don heard the first faint beep. He stopped, holding his hand up to halt Megan's progress.

"Did you hear that?" he whispered, his hand moving toward his gun holster.

"Hear what?" she asked just as quietly as her own hand moved toward the gun on her belt.

They stood still, heads tilted slightly, listening for any sound. There it was again, ever so faintly, and Don pointed to some broken crates under a window. Slowly, they stepped over the debris that was scattered around the room, careful not to dislodge anything until they could identify the noise. Finally, they made their way to the crate.

Don slowly bent down and lifted a cloth that was laying over the broken crate.

His eyes widened. "Oh, shit!" he exclaimed as he quickly dropped the cloth and straightened up. He grabbed Megan by the arm and pulled her with him as he turned toward the door.

"Run…run!" he shouted.

They ran, stumbling over some of the debris in their haste to get out. He grabbed the door and both agents jumped sideways, barely managing to avoid being hit by it as it tumbled to the floor. They had to scramble over it, losing precious time in the process, and broke into a sprint as the door to the stairway came into view.

Don jerked the door open and pushed Megan through it, following right on her heels as they dashed back down the stairs.

"Guys….there's a…bomb." he gasped out as he ran. "Get out…get out of the building. There's …a….bomb….hurry!"

"Say again?"

"A…bomb…David….get out…now!"

"Where are you?" David's voice anxiously called back.

"On…our…way down!" Megan returned breathlessly.

"How long?" Colby asked.

"A minute." Don panted as he continued to run down the stairs. "Now…..get…the…hell out…of…here!"

They had reached the bottom of the stairwell and only paused for a moment as they gasped for breath.

"We're outside." Colby's concerned voice came over the radio. "Where are you guys?"

"Stairwell." Megan managed to gasp out as she reached for the handle to open the door.

"Hurry!" Don yelled behind her as they bolted through the doorway with a sudden adrenaline rush giving both of them a little more speed as they raced across the floor.

They could see the front door twenty feet ahead….fifteen….ten.

A deafening roar erupted around them just as they reached the opening and the force of the explosion picked them up and sent the agents flying through the open doorway.

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David and Colby had split up during the search of the main area. David started at the far end of the room and the plan was to meet in the middle.

"This place is disgusting." Colby called out as he gingerly lifted the lid of a box with his gloved hands.

"Yeah, well just don't pick up any rats while your at it." David chuckled as he called back.

"Everyone's a comedian." his partner grumbled which prompted another snort of laughter from David.

Still smiling David pressed his radio mike to check in with O'Connell.

"Patrick, this is David, come in please."

The Irishman responded immediately. "I'm here David. I haven't found the other officer yet but there is a large area to cover."

"Keep in touch."

"I'll check in again in ten minutes."

"Okay, Patrick. Over."

David was almost to the middle of the room when Don's voice crackled over the radio.

"Guys…there's a….bomb! Get out…get out of…the building…now!"

"Say again?" David asked as he made eye contact with Colby.

"A…bomb….David….get…out…now."

David started running and when he had caught up with Colby they both ran for the open door.

"Where…are you?" David asked worriedly as he ran.

"On…our…way…down." Megan's breathless voice echoed over the radio.

"How…long?" Colby wanted to know as he made it to the door.

"A…minute!" Don's voice yelled over the com. "Now…get…the…hell…out of…here!"

David and Colby raced through the open door and ran for cover, dragging the surprised officer along with them. They ducked down behind the cars and anxiously watched the open door for their friends.

Crouching behind the SUV, Colby called over the radio.

"Patrick, there's a bomb! Get away from the building! Do you read me?"

"Aye, I understand. How long do we have?"

"Less than a minute, hurry!"

"On my way!"

The LAPD officer leaned anxiously toward David. "Sam's not answering his radio."

"Just keep telling him about the bomb."

David pressed his radio button. "Don were outside. Where are you guys?" as he exchanged a worried glance with Colby.

"Stairwell." Megan's frantic voice responded.

The two agents heard Don shout "hurry" as they watched the doorway, desperately hoping the their friends would make it out before the blast.

"Come on…come on." David was shouting while the young officer was doing his best to keep them from re-entering the building.

A few seconds later however, relief was mixed with horror as they watched Don and Megan appear briefly in the doorway just as a deafening roar was heard and a ball of flame erupted throughout the building. Dark smoke billowed out of every opening and they lost sight of their friends as the smoke engulfed the whole area.

"Get down!" David yelled at Colby as bricks and debris came flying at them from all directions, hitting the cars with loud thuds and shattering the glass as it crashed through the windows.

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The residents of the East Los Angeles Projects and the bordering neighborhoods had grown accustomed to the sound of gunfire and the occasional explosion. However, an explosion of this magnitude had them all out in their yards or on their balconies pointing toward the huge, black billowing cloud of smoke and flame that was threatening to cover the sky.

Many residents gave the sign of the cross and bowed their heads in prayer for those people that might have been involved in such an explosion and many more joined them when twenty minutes later a multitude of fire engines, ambulances and police cars raced down their streets toward the ominous dark cloud of smoke.


	8. Chapter 8

Obsession

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: I'm using a simple alphabet code for the messages, simple but with a twist. (I can't let it be too easy). I have scrambled the letters within each word of the code.

I really appreciate your reviews.

**Sun-Tzu: The Art of War**

**If they are confused, take them.**

Chapter 8

David sadly knelt down beside the young LAPD officer. One look at him and he knew it was already too late but he still had to try. Placing two fingers against the man's neck he stubbornly checked for a pulse but to no avail, the young man was gone.

"_Couldn't be more than twenty-five, fresh out of the academy." _he thought to himself. "_Such a waste of a young life."_

The three of them had ducked behind the SUV when the warehouse exploded but parts of it had found them anyway. The officer had been dealt a fatal blow to the head and death had been instantaneous. David and Colby had not escaped unscathed themselves. He was sporting a bloody cut on his shoulder and his partner had been hit on the leg by something sharp.

"Too late, huh?" Colby nodded at the dead man as he used a piece of his torn shirt to bandage his leg.

"Yeah." David said glancing sideways at him; it was time to turn his attention back to the living.

"We've got to get away from these cars…were too close to the fire." Colby said as he wiped the soot from his eyes. The fire was intensifying and the heat was becoming unbearable.

"I know." David retorted. "Do you see Megan…" he had to pause as a sudden bout of coughing hit him. "or Don?"

"It's hard to see anything in this smoke." Colby responded as he too was hit with a sudden couching spasm.

David bent down to look under the vehicle but his eyes were tearing so badly from the smoke that he had to wipe them twice before he could see anything.

"I think I see Don." he said as he cautiously crawled around the vehicle, with Colby close behind him.

Don was lying face down on the ground in front of the squad car and Megan was sprawled out not far from him; both agents were unconscious. David turned Don over and grabbed him under the arms and began to drag back him behind the vehicle. Colby crawled over to Megan and pulled her back as well. Standing up was not a option, the smoke was too thick, it was bad enough at ground level so dragging their friends out of harm's way had been their only choice.

They checked them immediately for signs of life and were relieved to find a strong pulse beating in both of them. Finding no immediate life-threatening injuries, the two agents began a search for a better position away from the fire.

David wiped his eyes again and squinted as he checked out the area.

"How about over there for now." he said pointing to the road in front of them. "Maybe we can find a place on the other side."

Colby coughed. "It's better than here."

Dragging Megan and Don across the road was slow going. It wasn't easy to do considering the fact that they were hunched over themselves but with determination they made it to the far side of the road. The smoke was making breathing difficult and the physical exertion made them stop often to rest themselves.

"Man." Colby gasped out. "Megan sure doesn't look this heavy."

David allowed himself a small smile. "Yeah, why don't you tell her that when she wakes up."

His partner snorted. "I'm not exactly looking to commit suicide, okay?"

David nodded his head as he leaned over the edge of the road and looked below.

"Check this out, partner." He pointed downward. "That ditch will protect us from the fire and smoke. Let's get them down there."

Putting his words into action, he grabbed Don under the arms once again and dragged him down the slope to the ditch below. Colby grabbed Megan and quickly followed him. The hill acted as a buffer to the fire and they had already noticed a sizeable temperature change. The smoke was a lot thinner here too, and soon they began to breathe easier.

Once again they sat down, both gasping for much needed air.

"Have… you …seen…any…sign..…of O'Connell?"

Colby shook his head as he crawled back up to the top of the slope. "No, nothing" he called out as his eyes came to rest on the three vehicles. "Those cars aren't going to last much longer though."

"My last contact with him was before the explosion." David yelled back as he started to check Megan for injuries.

Colby slid back down and started a similar check on Don.

"Don's pulse is strong but he's got a cut on his temple, probably has a concussion."

"Megan's pulse is good too but she's got a nasty bump on the back of her head. She's probably going to have a concussion too."

Don suddenly started coughing and David quickly rolled him over on his stomach. He opened his eyes but immediately closed them as the world began to spin around him. His throat was burning and he couldn't stop coughing. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he was able to get it under control and rose to a sitting position. However, that position didn't last long, he immediately leaned forward and rested his head on the dry ground fighting to control the nausea that was threatening to overtake him. Megan had begun to stir and only a few minutes later found herself in an identical position.

Meanwhile, David had pulled out his cell phone and dialed 911 while Colby called the FBI office and requested immediate back up.

"I'm going to try O'Connell again." David turned to press the button on his radio. "Patrick are you there?" He shared a worried glance with his partner but heard no response from the Irishman. "Try your radio, mine might have gotten damaged."

"Right. O'Connell do you read?" His brow furrowed with worry. "Patrick, are you there?"

"Guys." a gasp for breath and then. "It ..was…a ..set….up." Don was holding his head and keeping his eyes closed. "Could…still….be…here."

David coughed again and pulled out his gun. "He's right man. I'll cover us on this side, you take the other."

He moved around Don and watched for movements through the smoke. Colby immediately went to the other side and took a similar position. Even without the smoke they were too far down the slope to be seen from above and were hidden by weeds and chaparral.

Colby coughed again and hissed between his clenched teeth. "It was a dam trap!"

"What…about…back…up?" Megan barely wheezed out.

""On it's way." David tried to check her out from his position. "You okay, anything broken?"

She shook her head and immediately regretted the action. "Don't think so - shoulder and head hurts ."

"How about you Don?"

"Head mostly, ribs maybe."

Three more explosions suddenly echoed around them and they instinctively ducked lower to the ground as fragments flew over head. The smell of gasoline was almost overwhelming and they gagged from the stench. David crept up to the top of the slope after the sounds had diminished and took a peak over the top, careful to stay behind a bush.

The intense heat had finally reached the cars and one by one they had exploded, all three were now totally engulfed in flames. The houses on either side of the warehouse were also ablaze and if the fire dept didn't get there soon the entire street would be lost to the fire.

He slid back down the slope and returned to his position. "That was the cars." he told them without taking his eyes off his search area.

"Where's the officer?" Don asked as he raised himself to a sitting position. He opened his eyes and tried to focus them on his agents. It worked momentarily, but soon they were swimming around again. He closed his eyes with a groan and leaned against the slope, stretching his legs out in front of him.

David patted him on the shoulder. "It's probably better if you don't move." and then added with a sigh. "The officer didn't make it Don."

Don's kept his eyes closed but responded. "That's too bad, he was so young."

Colby raised his hand calling for silence. "Listen, did you guys hear that?"

The agents waited in silence straining to hear anything besides the roaring fire and then every so faintly they heard it too. Someone was calling for them by name.

David scrambled back to the top of the slope.

"Careful…David." Don managed to say.

The agent squinted toward the sound and spotted O'Connell, trying to skirt the fire and look for them. Frustrated, David tried to contact him on the radio. If he called out he would give away their position and they didn't know who was still out there.

"O'Connell, do you read?"

"Aye!" he replied as he turned in circles trying to spot him.

"Take cover, do you read? Take cover, we've been set up. Get out of the open!"

The Irishman immediately crouched down and tried to find cover. He spotted several dumpsters on the other side of the road and hurriedly crawled between them.

"How's this?" He asked looking all around him. "Where are you guys?"

"Just stay put, help is on the way."

David watched as the man pulled out his gun and began his silent search for the unseen enemy. Satisfied that the Irishman was fairly safe for the moment he slid back down the slope and joined his team.

It was only three thirty in the afternoon, but the billowing smoke had cut out the sunshine and to the four agents at the bottom of the slope, it seemed as if night had already fallen. David and Colby maintained their silent vigil while Don and Megan struggled to stay awake. They would occasionally check in with the Irishman, letting him know that he wasn't alone.

Finally, after what seemed like hours they heard a welcoming sound. A multitude of approaching sirens brought out a sigh of relief from each of them.

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Charlie was just about to open his office door when his phone began to ring. He fished in his pocket for the it and quickly flipped it open automatically checking the I.D. of the caller. It was a number that he didn't recognize but it was identified as a FBI number. Frowning, he hesitated, there was so much that he had to get done, maybe he should let it go to voicemail and get back to Don later. Guiltily, he remembered that he hadn't spoken with Don since the incident the other night.

Suddenly apprehensive, he answered the phone. "Charles Eppes."

As he listened to the caller his heart began to beat faster. Oh, God, this was it , the call that he and his father had always been afraid of. The call that told them that Don had been lost in the line of duty.

Suddenly, he couldn't breathe and he placed a hand against the door to steady himself. He swallowed hard and asked. "Which hospital? How long ago? Why didn't one of his team call?" His eyes widened even further. "All of them?

"Yes, I'll notify Professor Fleinhart ." Thank you."

Charlie was already half way down the hallway before he even realized it. He glanced at his watch, his Dad would still be in Ray's class which explained why the FBI couldn't reach him and the same held true for Larry.

He came across Larry's class just as it was ending and hurriedly cut through the exiting students to get to his friend. His grabbed the older professor by the arm and started pulling him toward the door.

"Charles. Charles what are you doing?" Larry was more than a little flustered at his friend's behavior.

"Larry, listen to me." Charlie's eyes were wide with fear and worry. "We have to hurry, Don and Megan have been taken to the hospital, they were injured in an explosion." He turned without waiting for a response and started jogging toward the exit.

"What…what happened?" The older professor asked as he ran to keep up. "How badly are they hurt?"

"Wait till we get in the car." he pushed the door open and heard it slam as they ran toward the parking lot. " We still have to swing by Ray's class to pick up Dad."

Charlie quickly pulled out of the parking lot and headed for the Mechanical Engineering building that was located across campus. He parked and put the car in neutral, jumping out and running toward the door.

Larry remained in the backseat rubbing his hands through his hair and anxiously waiting for them to return. He opened his phone to dial Megan but suddenly stopped thinking to himself. "_She has to be all right, she just has to be." _He pressed the speed dial anyway just so he could listen to her voice as it advised him to leave a message.

He heard a door slam and looked up to see Charlie and Alan running from the building.

They climbed in and Charlie pealed out of the parking lot. "Dad, I'm going to need directions once we get on the highway."

Alan's face was pale and there was moisture around his eyes as he asked in a shaky voice.

"Where's the map Charlie?

"Glove box." his son answered as he made a turn onto the highway.

The road was congested at this time of day and it was taking all of Charlie's patience to work his way through the crowded lanes.

"Charlie, which hospital did they take them too?"

"Los Angeles Memorial, Dad." his brow furrowed. "I thinks it's off the Arroyo Parkway." He clicked his tongue impatiently. "Dad, do you know a shortcut?"

Alan scrutinized the map in front of him. "Yes, there's a back road we can take and it shouldn't have as much traffic." He followed the line on the map with his finger. "Take the next exit east onto Gardenia, that should do the trick." Rubbing a hand over his face he turned toward his son.

"Did David say how serious it was?"

"It wasn't David, he was injured too, so was Colby." Charlie kept his voice steady, he had to be strong, not just for his father and Don but for himself as well.

"Oh, my!" Larry exclaimed from the back seat. "Did they tell you what happened?"

Charlie shook his head, "No, they didn't give me any details, just said they were injured in some kind of explosion."

They fell into silence, each one lost in their thoughts as Charlie pushed the Prius to it's limit and as they approached the hospital , they noticed the sky begin to darken over the east side of the city.

"What do you suppose is causing that?" Alan asked

Charlie risked a glance in the direction of the black clouds and shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno, fire maybe."

He spotted a sign for the hospital and all other thoughts disappeared. With Alan's directions Charlie was soon pulling up in front of the emergency room at the hospital. He let his Dad and Larry get out of the car at the door and then headed for the parking garage. Within minutes he had parked his car and was running up the sidewalk to the entrance of the emergency room.

As the door swung open he was momentarily overwhelmed by the crowd of people in the small area and it was as if everything was suddenly in slow motion as he walked in a daze toward the nurse's station. He caught snatches of conversations as he looked around for signs of his brother. Two paramedics were talking to a police officer _"we were too late, he was already dead when we got there"_ and he nearly stopped breathing.

"_It's not Don, it's not Don_" became a mantra in his mind as he looked around for his father. He threaded his way through the crowd and finally made his way to the nurses station.

Between answering the phone and the questions of the people standing around the station the nurse was a little pre-occupied and didn't notice him right away. When it was finally his turn, he was almost afraid to ask because he kept hearing the paramedics words over and over in his mind. "_we were too late…too late." _He clenched his jaw and crushed that thought. _"not Don, not Don."_

Placing his hands on the counter top he asked. "Please…I'm looking for my brother, Don Eppes."

Before the nurse could answer him he felt a hand on his shoulder, turning he looked into the concerned eyes of his father.

"It's okay son, come with me."

Alan led him to some chairs further down the hallway where Larry was waiting for them.

"Dad, what about Don? Is he okay….where is he?"

"Easy, son, sit down a minute." Alan gently pushed him down in the chair. Pulling the other chair around so he could face his youngest he said. "Don's being checked out right now so we aren't going to know anything for a while. The nurse said the doctor has been with him for about twenty minutes so we should know something soon" Clearing his throat he added. "Megan, David and Colby are also getting checked out, so all we can do is wait."

Charlie took a deep breath. "Is he going to be okay?"

"We'll know for sure when the doctor finishes checking him out but for now we'll just have to wait." He stood up and looked down at his son. "Since were going to be here for a while, I think I'll get a cup of coffee. Do you want to come?"

Charlie shook his head. "No, I think I'll just sit here awhile."

"I'll come with you Alan." Larry said as he stood up. "We'll bring a cup back for you Charlie."

Larry and Alan caught the elevator and as Charlie watched an FBI agent disembarked and strode toward the police officer that he had seen speaking with the paramedics. The agent removed a notepad from his pocket and began taking notes as he spoke with the officer. Charlie thought he recognized the agent and as he walked by him he called out his name.

"Agent Miller?" Charlie asked as he stood up.

The agent stopped and turned around. "Professor Eppes." Concern flitted briefly in the agent's eyes before he caught himself. "How is Don?"

"We don't know anything yet." he said, making eye contact with the agent. "Do you know what happened?"

The agent's guard came up as he answered. "I'm sorry professor, this is an on-going investi…."

Charlie raised a hand and stopped him. "I know, you can't talk about it, I shouldn't have asked."

The agent nodded his head and turned to leave, pausing momentarily to say. "I hope your brother will be all right. Everyone at the office is worried about all of them."

"Thanks." The young man whispered as he looked away. Charlie glanced at the clock on the wall and let his eyes drift over the people in the waiting room before leaning back against the wall and wrapping his arms around himself. He stood that way for a while with his head bowed, lost in thought, until he started to get that now familiar feeling of being watched.

He felt the hair rise on the back of his neck and he rubbed at the goose bumps on his arms as he slowly looked around the room.


	9. Chapter 9

Obsession

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: I'd like to say a special thank you to all who have taken the time to review.

**Sun-Tzu The Art of War**

**If they are substantial, prepare for them**

Chapter 9:

Saturday afternoon

Alan walked quietly down the hallway, pausing momentarily to take a peek into Don's room. He held his own breath while he listened to the steady rhythm of his son's breathing and with relief watched the rise and fall of his chest. Satisfied that his oldest had truly survived yesterday's explosion, he slowly closed the bedroom door and continued on his way down the stairs.

As soon as he was downstairs he headed for the kitchen to grab a bottle of water before stepping out on the front porch and easing himself into a chair. Alan had a sudden thought and quickly stood up again. He strode over to the front door, opening it and leaving it ajar just enough so that he could hear Don if he should call out for anything. Frowning, he glanced at his watch as he returned to the chair and sat down again. Charlie should have been back by now, he'd gone to CalSci to review some equations with a few of his students. Monday was his last day for finals and four of his students had asked for some extra study time with him and since Don's injuries had only been minor, the young professor had decided to keep the appointment.

Alan resisted the strong urge to call him and settled more comfortably against the cushions on the chair. The elder Eppes ran his hands over his face and rubbed at his eyes, suddenly feeling very old and extremely tired. He felt uneasy, even before Don's close call last night, his anxiety had been increasing with each day. Alan massaged the back of his neck as he tried to analyize the way he was feeling. It was as if there was a violent storm approaching and although it wasn't visible on the horizon yet, you still knew it was there...and it was getting closer. Sighing, he slouched even further in the chair and closeing his eyes he leaned his head back against the cushions, thinking about the previous evening.

Lucky, they had been so lucky; fate had been on their side yesterday. Don was going to be fine, he had survived the explosion with only a bump on his head, minor smoke inhalation and a few bruised ribs. Both Don and Megan had received mild concussions in the blast and had to remain overnight at the hospital for observation. Alan and Charlie had been allowed to bring him home this morning. The doctor had insisted that he stay with someone until the effects of the concussion had diminished. This had made Alan's job much easier when he had insisted that Don spend the weekend at the Craftsman. Megan had also been invited to stay with them but Larry had volunteered to take care of her at her own apartment. Along with her concussion she also had a badly bruised shoulder. David and Colby had been allowed to go home last night after treatment for minor smoke inhalation and some minor injuries that had required a few stitches. The four agents had been given instructions to stay home and not report for work until Monday.

All things considered, it was a miracle that any of them had even survived and if you added the fact that none of them had suffered any serious injury then in Alan's mind, you had two miracles.

Don had fallen asleep as soon as they had tucked him into bed but the doctor had warned them that this would happen. His body had to sleep off the trauma that the explosion had caused and begin to heal itself, that and the medications he had been given, pretty much guaranteed that he would sleep.

Sleep, he thought, as he sat there in the chair, would be a good thing for himself as well and he began to drift off with a warm spring breeze swirling around him. He jerked awake to the sound of someone calling out his name and as his senses groggily returned to him he immediately thought of Don. Horrified that he had fallen asleep when Don needed him he started to rise only to stop suddenly as he realized tht someone was standing in front of him. Fully awake now, Alan looked up to find himself literally face to face with Angus Fitzgerald.

The Scottsman was bending over him. "Are you all right? he asked. "I came out to get the newspaper and I heard you cry out. Should I call for a doctor?"

"No, no that's not necessary. I must have dozed off." He rubbed at his eyes and added appologetically. "I don't remember calling out but thank you for coming to check on me."

"Oh, your welcome Alan, I'm just glad your okay."

Alan stood up. "Please have a seat and I'll get us something cold to drink."

"No, I don't want to put you to any trouble."

"It's not a problem, how about a glass of iced tea?" At a nod from the other man, Alan left to get the drinks. He returned a few moments later with two large glasses of iced tea. "Angus do you want sugar for your tea or just lemon?"

"Just lemon thanks." The Scottsman responded happily as he took the glass from the older man.

Alan returned to his seat and took a sip of his own tea.

"I hope you won't take offense, Alan, but you look really tired. Is everything all right?'

"None taken Angus, I've just had a long night with very little sleep." He took another sip of tea and told him about the explosion . By the time Alan had finished his story, Fitzgerald had his hand over his mouth staring at him with wide fearful eyes.

"Oh my! Is he going to be okay?"

Alan raised a hand to calm him down. "Relax, Angus, he's going to be just fine, his whole team made it out in time."

The Scottsman shook his head in wonder. "I don't know how you do it Alan. You must be worried all of the time with the career that Don has chosen." he paused to take a drink of his tea. "It must be a relief for you that your youngest son is in a much safer profession."

Alan snorted. "Safer? It's not as safe as you might think, especially when he's off consulting for his brother or one of the other government agencies, believe me, he's had a few close calls himself."

Before the other man could respond they heard a loud noise and both of them turned toward the driveway. Charlie had pulled in while they were talking but instead of coming in he was just standing by his car facing the street.

Angus stood up and squinted in the direction of the Professor. "What's he looking at?"

Alan shrugged his shoulders and walked to the edge of the porch. "I don't know." He started to call to Charlie but hesitated when his son remained standing by the car, making no attempt to come into the house.

Charlie appeared to be looking for something…or someone. He checked up and down the street but no cars came into view and the only people that could be seen were their neighbors. At length, the young man opened the passenger door, retrieved his bag and started walking toward the house. Lost in thought he didn't see Alan or Angus until he was almost to the porch and then he was so startled that he barely caught his bag as it slipped from his shoulder.

"Dad!" he exclaimed. "Don't do that, you almost gave me a heart attack!"

Puzzled, Alan closely studied his son. "Charlie, I'm standing out in the open, how could you not see me?"

The younger man's face flushed with embarrassment when he spotted the Scottsman standing beside of his father. "Oh, hello Mr. Fitzgerald."

The man stepped forward beaming and extended his hand to him, delighted that he had another opportunity to meet the young genius. "Please call me Angus, Professor."

"Uh, sure, Angus, call me Charlie."

The young man shook his hand and then moved past him onto the porch, sinking down into one of the chairs. "Sorry, I guess I'm just a little edgy." he watched as Angus turned to his father.

"I must be going now, I have my first class on Monday and I still have a few things to gather up." Still smiling he waved at them both. "I hope Don will be up and about soon, thanks for the tea." He stepped off the porch and was soon at his own door.

Alan stood with his hands in the pockets of his jeans and glanced sideways at his son, apparently he wasn't the only one who was a little uneasy. He walked back over to the chairs and chose one that was opposite Charlie's so that he could watch his face.

Charlie realized what Alan was up to however, so he tried to change the subject. "How's Don?"

But Alan knew him all too well and leaned forward in his chair. "Your brother is sleeping like a baby, he's doing just fine. What's got you so nervous? What were you looking for out there?"

"Nothing, I'm just tired….I guess." he leaned forward suddenly and asked. "Dad, do you remember last year when I said that I was going to get a security system for the house?"

Alan leaned back and contemplated his son. The change in the subject matter meant that Charlie wasn't ready to tell him what was going on so he followed his lead. "Yes, I remember that conversation but you never had time to take care of it. Are you thinking of doing it now?"

Charlie's lips parted in a smile "As a matter of fact Dad, that is why I'm a little late. I made several phone calls to security alarm companies and one of them will be sending someone out here on Monday afternoon to give me an estimate on a system for the house and garage."

"That's great son, but why now?"

Charlie looked away and mumbled. "I just thought it was a good time to do it."

He reached for his bag and started to rise but Alan put a hand on his shoulder and eased him back in the chair. "Tell me what's really going on."

The young man met his father's gaze and suddenly noticed how tired he looked, the dark circles under his eyes and the stubble on his face. He just couldn't give him any more to worry about so he patted his Dad's hand and gently pulled away.

"I'm fine, maybe just a little tired, that's all. We didn't get much sleep last night, remember?" Charlie bent over and lifted his bag up. "Actually, if there's time, I think I'll take a nap myself before dinner."

Alan stood and followed his son into the house. "You have time Charlie, I'm too tired to cook tonight, so I thought we could just order out."

"Sounds good to me Pop, although I doubt that Don will be joining us."

Alan closed the door behind him and thoughtfully watched his son head up the stairs. He set his jaw stubbornly, vowing to himself that he would find out what was troubling Charlie, especially after his youngest called down to him.

"Don't forget to lock the door, Dad."

Alan harrumphed and locked the door. "_Of all things, Charlie reminding me to lock the door."_

Slightly irritated with his son, Alan strode into the living room and sat down, grabbing a cross word puzzle to work on. Occasionally, his eyes would drift to the staircase and his thoughts would turn toward his sons; his oldest, recovering from the effects of an explosion and Charlie's apprehensive behavior was at the very least, unsettling.

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Saturday night

The bar was crowded and the music was so loud that he could hardly hear himself think but this was exactly where he wanted to be. The fact that Bashere wanted to meet in person didn't bode well for him, so Wayne had picked a place that was anything but private. He was sitting in a corner booth that was facing the door; he didn't want any surprises when the man showed up tonight.

"Can I get you another one honey?"

Startled, he looked up from the empty glass in his hands to the over made-up waitress. Despite all of the make-up she was still attractive, of course the low cut blouse and the mini-skirt didn't hurt anything either.

"Yeah…sure." he said shoving the glass at her.

She gave him a wink and sashayed over to the next table, deliberately bending over to show her ample bosom to the next man as she asked him for his order..

He watched her momentarily before turning his eyes back to the doorway and nearly slid off of the seat when he saw the man enter the room. He wasn't alone either, there were two other men with him and Johnson knew pros when he saw them. Sweat was beading on his forehead by the time the three had worked their way over between the dancers and the people milling around drinking and talking.

"This is hardly the place to discuss business." Bashere commented as he stopped by the booth. "I'm certain there are nicer places in Los Angeles to have a drink and talk."

"I...I...like this place. I come here a lot." he stammered back.

Henri Bashere scanned the busy room but could find nothing that would account for the other man's odd behavior. He narrowed his eyes at the man and with a slight nod of his head, one of his henchman came forward.

"Search him, make sure there are no wires."

"Wires?" Wayne asked surprised. "But I didn't go to the cops."

The other man hesitated looking around at all of the people.

"No one's going to notice, not in this crowd. Just do it Picarry!"" he said impatiently.

James Picarry slid into the booth forcing Johnson over and began to search him; after a few moments he sat up announcing that the man was clean. Picarry stood up and took a position beside the booth where he could watch the door.

Bashere slid into the opposite seat just as the waitress returned with another drink for Johnson.

She placed it on the table and while she waited for the man to pay her she turned her attention to the well-dressed man now sitting at the booth. She recognized money when she saw it and this guy had plenty . She gave him her brightest smile and leaned over the table toward him.

"Hi handsome, my name is Marla. Can I bring you anything..…anything at all?" she asked her eyes offering more than just a drink.

Bashere graced her with a look that left no doubt of what he thought of her. "I'll have a scotch on the rocks and nothing more. You aren't t exactly my type, if you get my drift."

Disappointed, she grabbed the money from Wayne and hurried off to the bar.

Bashere stared at Johnson waiting for the other man to begin the conversation.

Wayne took an unsteady drink, gulping it down before placing his glass back on the table.

"Look, I don't know what went wrong. Everything was in place and somehow they got out before the bomb went off."

"This morning's headlines should have read that four FBI agents had been killed yesterday."

Bashere eyes were cold as he stared at the man sitting across from him. "Instead, there are two dead LAPD officers and four slightly injured FBI agents. What the hell happened!" he hissed vehemently.

Marla returned with his drink before the other man could answer and Bashere impatiently paid her off with a twenty and a wave of his hand. She hurried away to the next table.

"Like I told you, I don't know. Somehow they figured it out. My guys said the last two agents just barely got out the door, that's how close it was." He spoke rapidly, hoping to get this over with quickly.

"Your were supposed to be the best Mr. Johnson." he took a sip of his scotch. "I'm beginning to wonder what it is that your are "the best at!"

"I am the best." he hissed back. "But these guys are good too, and somehow they found out about it, that's all."

"It's going to be more difficult now, they will be on thier guard. My source at the agency says that he can still suppress the information without being detected. As long as he can continue to do that, the plan can still go forward, but understand this, I will accept no more failures from you or you will pay the ultimate price next time. Understand?" he responded in an all too quiet voice.

Johnson swallowed hard and nodded his head.

"All of the tasks must be completed by Thursday night. That means that you and the law enforcement agencies, specifically the FBI and LAPD, are going to be very busy next week. All loose ends are to be taken care of by Friday." He smiled at Johnson, but the smile never touched his eyes. "Friday evening I am leaving LA with everything that I came for and nothing is going to stop me. Do you undersand?"

"Yes, yes, of course. I'm ready to do the second job on Monday morning and I have everything set up for the rest of them." he paused and took another gulp of his drink.

Bashere took a sip of his own drink before placing it back down on the table. He slowly stood up locking eyes with the nervous man across from him.

"If I have to leave this city without the items that I have returned for it will be on your head." he said coldly and turned away. "Trust me, you really don't want that to happen." he called back over his shoulder.

Wayne finished off his drink and quickly waved the waitress over for another. He wiped off the moisture above his lip and not for the first time, wondered how he had gotten himself involved with a man like Bashere.

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Bashere stood outside the club and angrily waited for his limo to be brought around. Things weren't going exactly as planned; the fact that the agents were still around was a worrisome turn of events. However, they could still be dealt with but there couldn't be anymore mistakes if this was still going to work.

The limo arrived and the driver got out to open the door for him but before he could get in a dark sedan pulled up behind them. A balding, heavy-set man dressed in a pair of worn out jeans and a short sleeved button down shirt got out and approached him carrying a large envelope.

"Get in." he said motioning toward the open car door. Before getting in himself, Bashere turned toward his bodyguards. "Wait here, this won't take long."

The driver closed the door soon after the man sat down, insuring their privacy.

"I assume that you have been successful." Henri watched him closely.

"Ah, yes sir, and I was able to get a lot of different shots for you." He said as he eagerly handed the envelope over to the other man.

Bashere's hand closed over the edge of the envelope, careful not to touch the other man's hand. Henri found him rather revolting, overweight and sweating profusely, but then he hadn't hired him for his looks or his taste in clothes. He opened the envelope and removed a hand full of photographs along with a flashdrive. As he sorted through them he casually asked the man a question without looking up.

"He hasn't spotted you, has he?"

"Ah, no sir, I've been very careful." his face lit up with excitement. "I wear a different disguise every time."

Bashere looked up and waved the flashdrive at him. "This is the only record that you have of these. You've kept none for yourself?"

"No sir, I did everything just like you said."

Bashere opened a metal briefcase that was next to him on the seat and removed a small bundle of money which he then tossed to the man sitting across from him.

The fat man caught it and immediately began to thumb through it. Satisfied with the amount, he stuffed it in his pants pocket and asked. "How long do you want me to do this?"

"I no longer require your services." Henri advised the man. "You may go now." he added, dismissing the man as he once again looked at the pictures.

"Are you sure?" I can do it as long as you want me to."

The Frenchman raised his head and looked the other man in the eye. "It would be in your best interest to leave now."

The fat man was the first to break eye contact and swallowing hard he opened the door and climbed awkwardly out of the limo. The driver immediately closed the car door as soon as the man was out of the way. Almost simulanteously, Bashere's window opened and he watched the man walk away.

"Later on Mr. Picarry we will discuss the elimination of a few loose ends but right now I want some privacy. The two of you can sit up front with the driver." He closed the window and took out his cell phone and as the car pulled away from the curb he hit the speed dial button and waited for his call to be answered.

"Lady Chatterley's Companions, how may I help you.?" a sultry female voice asked.

"It's me, have you found one?" he asked gruffly.

"Ah, mon ami, you are so impatient, right to the point, eh?"

"Well….I'm waiting for an answer or do I need to take my business elsewhere?"

"Henri, have I ever let you down? Of course, I have found one for you but it's going to cost you more this time." she paused and then added in a more professional tone of voice. "They aren't that easy to replace."

"Of course, of course, but does he look like the picture?" he asked impatiently.

"Your tastes have grown more "specific" and are more difficult to find, but mon ami, they could be twins."

"Really? Give me the address and if it's true I'll give you an extra bonus."

Laughter floated over the airways as she responded with the information and in closing she commented. "I am looking forward to that bonus, Henri."

Bashere closed his phone and gave the driver the address. He opened the envelope and removed the pictures that were inside and looked through them eagerly. Just a few more days and he would have the real one sitting right beside of him.

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Sunday afternoon

Don was feeling much better. Stretched out under a blanket in the lounge chair in front of the flat panel TV, he was alternately napping and watching a baseball game. He wasn't ready to run a race, but he was thinking much clearer now and his ribs only hurt if he shifted a certain way. All in all, he was feeling pretty good and fully intended to go back to work the next day. As a matter of fact, the doctor had agreed that by Monday he should be able to go back to work as long as he "_didn't plan to get blown up again_." Don frowned, everyone was trying to be a comedian. He glanced over at his brother, well not everyone, some people just liked to keep secrets, and he was feeling well enough now to try and ferret out one of those secrets.

Charlie was sitting across from him grading a large stack of papers placed precariously on the cushion beside of him. One strong gust of wind through the open windows and they would go flying all over the room. The red marker in his hand was definitely making changes to the one that he was currently working on.

"That student isn't doing very well, huh?" he asked just to get a conversation started before turning it toward the topic that he wanted to discuss.

Charlie didn't lift his head but kept reading over the paper. "Hmm….not so good." he absently responded.

"So, ah, Dad told me that your finally going to get that security alarm installed."

Enough small talk, time to get to the question that he wanted answered. Don watched his brother closely, looking for the tale-tale signs that would tell him whether or not his younger sibling was being truthful with him or not. Charlie couldn't lie to him, over the years the older man had learned his brother's behavior traits and knew exactly what to watch for.

Still keeping his eyes on the paper, the younger man nodded his head.

"Ah…yeah…I have a company coming out tomorrow to give me an estimate."

Charlie glanced up briefly and made eye contact with his brother, hesitating just a second before letting his eyes drift back down to the paper. He knew that look, Don was fishing for something and he had a strong idea what it was. It was time to re-locate.

"You know, I think I'll take these out to the garage, there's more room to work on them out there." he started gathering his things together but Don's next words halted his progress.

"You might as well tell me what's going on Chuck." he lowered the lounge chair so he could get up. "Because I'm going to follow you around until you do." Don tossed the blanket aside as if to prove to him that he was ready to follow through with his words.

Charlie's eyebrows rose as he returned his brother's stare. "I don't know what your talking about Don. Would you care to be a little more specific?"

"Okay, why do you think that someone is watching you and why didn't you tell me about it?" Don's voice grew louder as he spoke.

Charlie's eyes narrowed as he asked. "Who have you been talking too? Larry? Amita?" He suddenly snapped his fingers. "Megan!"

Don stood up slowly. "It doesn't matter who told me, I want to know why you didn't tell me."

Charlie stood up too, fully intending to tell him to mind his own business when he saw Don wince as he shifted his position and his anger dissipated in a instant. He looked away and then back again as he sat back down on the sofa.

"Okay, you win." he sighed. "I keep getting this feeling that I'm being watched." he stood up again and paced around the room. "The thing is, I never see anyone…it's just this feeling I get." he made eye contact with his brother again and Don could see the fear in his eyes.

"When did this start Charlie?"

A look of surprise flitted briefly over his brother's face and he took a step closer to the lounge chair. "You believe me?"

Now it was Don's turn to show surprise. "Of course I believe you, why did you think that I wouldn't?" The surprise in his eyes changed to hurt because Charlie hadn't told him but that quickly turned to anger. "Didn't you learn anything from the Rosa Park's case?"

Charlie's eyes suddenly flashed with anger. "Yes, Don I did but that time there was a truck following me that I could see….this time I haven't seen anyone!" he turned on his heel and started to leave the room.

Don saw his mistake right away and hurriedly tried to change the outcome of their conversation. He raised his hands in a calming manner.

"Charlie….Charlie…wait!" "Look Buddy, I'm sorry, please come back and talk to me."

The young man turned and saw the regret in his brother's eyes and his anger melted away.

"Please Charlie, tell us what is going on?" Alan had come in and overheard the last part of their conversation.

Charlie stood halfway between the two of them and glanced from one to the other. Finally, sighing dispiritedly he shuffled back to the sofa and sat down again. Alan followed and joined him there sitting with the papers on the cushion between them.

"Shouldn't we be more concerned with Don right now." Charlie said trying one last time to get them on a subject that he felt was more important.

"I'm fine Charlie, now start talking."

He met his brother's gaze and suddenly just started talking. It was as if a floodgate had opened up and he couldn't stop himself, he told them everything ending with the emergency room on Friday night.

"I was going to tell you the other night but then Fitzgerald came over and I just assumed that it had been him all along, so I didn't say anything because I thought it was over." He got up and started pacing again. "Could it be my imagination….I mean…how could I get that impression in a room full of people and not see who was watching me?"

Don ignored his question and asked one of his own. "Do you think it's possible that Fitzgerald is still following you?"

Charlie shook his head. "No…I mean….I saw him didn't I and besides yesterday afternoon he was with Dad."

This time Don's eyebrows shot up as he turned toward his father. "Why was he with you?"

Alan huffed. "We were just talking on the porch, that's all. He's really a pretty nice guy." he added defensively.

Charlie rolled his eyes at this and continued to pace around the room, occasionally glancing out the window.

"Donnie, can you put an agent on him?" Alan asked worriedly.

Don rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "I don't think so Dad, not on just a feeling. We need some kind of physical evidence."

Frustrated, Charlie raised his hands and then let them fall by his side. "You see, this is why I didn't say anything." He pivoted around and walked back to the window. "I don't have any proof."

Don saw the fear in his brother's eyes before he turned away and clinched his jaw. No one was going to do this to Charlie and get away with it.

"Relax, bro, I didn't say that I wasn't going to do anything, I just need some time to figure this out. In the meantime, promise me that you won't go anywhere alone and that you'll stay out of dark areas."

Charlie turned back around and answered his brother with just two words.

"Yeah…sure."

Alan stood up and walked to the window himself, nervously sticking his hands in and out of his pockets.

Don slowly joined them both at the window. "Are you okay Dad? You seem as jittery as Charlie."

The older man turned from the window to face Don and Charlie. "Gee, Donnie, let me think. It might be the fact that you almost died yesterday or it could be because your brother is jumping at shadows." Alan retorted impatiently. He immediately regretted his words however, from the shocked look on both of his son's faces.

"Look, I'm sorry, that didn't come out the way it should have." He rubbed his face tiredly. "I'm sure both of those things are a part of my anxiety but this feeling started sometime last week and I just can't explain it."

Charlie placed a hand on his father's shoulder. "Dad, if your not feeling well maybe we should call Dr. Simmonds and get you checked out." When Alan didn't answer him but just stared at him, Charlie ducked his head and swallowed. "You know, just to make sure that everything is okay."

Don started to agree. "He's right..."

Frustrated, Alan interrupted him and started pacing around the room again. "I am not sick!"

Charlie's eyes widened and he shared a concern look with his brother.

Thoroughly agitated now, Alan stopped and faced his sons. "It's not a sick feeling, it's more like a feeling of dread. I'm not sure how to explain it." His lowered his eyes and his gaze fell upon the papers that Charlie had been grading . Suddenly he raised his head and his eyes lit up.

"Yes, I do!" he exclaimed excitedly as he pointed a finger at Charlie. "When you can't find the right words to explain your theories what do you do?" Before his youngest could speak, Alan went on.

"You use metaphors to help your students understand, right?"

"Ah...right." Charlie answered glancing sideways at his brother.

"Right." Alan said thoughtfully. "Well, I have the perfect metaphor to explain to you both how I am feeling."

He walked over to them and placed a hand on each of their shoulders.

"Imagine that the three of us are Koi and we are floating around in our pond in the back yard."

"You mean pretrend we are fish?" Don asked, clearly not following where Alan was going with this.

"Yes, Koi, now let me finish." he said a little impatiently. "So metaphorically, we are the koi in the pond floating around minding our own business when suddenly someone comes to the pond with a net and scoops one of us out of the pond forever."

Charlie started to respond but then thought better of it and closed his mouth after a glance at his brother.

Don recovered first. "That's a chilling thought Dad."

"Exactly!" Alan said triumphantly. "Now you know how I have been feeling but I still cannot explain it."

They grew quiet, all of them at a loss for words and in that awkward moment Alan moved away from his sons and glanced at his watch.

"I'm going to start dinner now, I found some good rib-eyes at the store today so tonight, my boys, we are going to eat in style."

He paused and looked back at them, they were still standing side by side, and his heart nearly stopped with the sudden feeling that he was going to lose one of them. Clearing his throat he turned back around and as he went through the swinging door to the kitchen he called back over his shoulder. "One of you can fix the salad and the other can fire up the grill."

Wide-eyed and speechless, Don and Charlie exchanged worried looks before following him into the kitchen.


	10. Chapter 10

Obsession

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: I really appreciate your reviews.

**Sun-Tzu The Art of War**

**O divine art of subtlety and secrecy! Through you we learn to be invisible, through you we hold the enemy's fate in our hands.**

Chapter 10

Monday

Don passed through the metal detector in the lobby of the FBI headquarters on auto-pilot. Out of habit he retrieved his gun, cuffs and keys from the conveyor belt as it exited the x-ray machine. He made his way to the elevator while he was still sliding his gun back into the holster on his belt. His bruised body still reminded him that he wasn't completely over the effects of the explosion so he was dressed casually today, just jeans and a pull-over shirt and a jacket to wear just in case he needed to dress it up a bit.

The lobby was crowded and the elevators were quite busy. Don glanced at the door to the stairwell but quickly dismissed that idea; the stairs were not an option today, he was just going to have to wait for the elevator.

"It's good to see you up and around Agent Eppes."

The feminine voice was familiar to him and Don turned around until he could see the speaker's face. The petite woman smiling at him was one of the bureau's top computer specialists and his team had worked with her on many of their toughest cases.

"Trust me, Agent Stendhauser, it feels good to be up and around." He said returning her smile with one of his own.

The ding of the elevator interrupted them and Don stepped back as the door opened to give the people exiting room to get through. He motioned for the petite agent to step in front of him and quickly joined her before the elevator was filled to it's capacity. Once again, he had to control his impatience because it appeared that they were going to stop at every floor between the lobby and his level.

Finally they stopped at his floor and with a "see ya later" to Agent Stendhauser he quickly exited the elevator and strode purposefully toward his cubicle.

After hanging his jacket on the back of his chair, Don carefully eased himself down and switched on his computer. The rest of his team hadn't arrived yet so he decided to tackle a small pile of folders that someone had left on top of his desk.

The first one contained a set of car keys and forms for him to fill out for the bureau-issued SUV that he would be driving. There were also insurance and report forms for the vehicle that had been destroyed by the fire. He stuffed the keys in his jacket pocket and closed the folder; he would come back to that one later.

The next one contained a report on the explosion and he had just started to read it when two familiar voices could be heard coming in his direction.

David and Colby were arguing over who had to fill out the forms for the vehicle that they had driven to the warehouse but they hurried over to his desk when they spotted him.

"Hey, good to see ya man."

"Thanks, Colby, it's good to see you guys too." Don smiled back at them but let it fade when he asked. "How are you guys, any after effects from the fire?"

David sat on the edge of his desk. "We're fine, just a little stir crazy from having to sit around all weekend."

"Where's Megan?"

"She's going to be a little late. The doctor wanted to take another look at her shoulder this morning. " Colby answered.

"What about O"Connell. Why isn't he here?" Don asked with a nod at the man's empty desk.

David spoke up. "He called in and said he was going to be late, something about having to report to the Irish Embassy this morning."

Don's brow furrowed. "He was checked out at the scene, right? He wasn't hurt?"

"He's fine Don." David shrugged his shoulders. "Somehow he managed to breathe in less smoke than the rest of us, the paramedics checked him out and let him go. He didn't even have to go the hospital."

Colby crossed his arms and leaned back against his desk. "Yeah, he was lucky."

Don raised an eyebrow at the tone of the younger agent's voice. "What are you getting at Colby?"

"Look, I just think it was very convenient for him to be outside when you discovered the bomb and if my memory is correct, and it is, he asked you if he could have a look around outside."

David sat up straighter. "You think that he was in on it , don't you?"

"I'm just saying that it looks a little strange."

"It's still just speculation, Granger." Megan tossed out as she entered the room and headed for her desk.

"Hey, welcome back." Don greeted her with a smile. "What did the doctor have to say about your shoulder?"

"Just a bruise, how about your ribs?"

"Same here." He looked around at them. "Well, it looks like the whole team is back in business."

"Yeah." David added as he moved around to his own desk. "I'm ready to get these guys, so where do we start?"

"Haven't really had a chance to review anything yet." Don shifted around in his chair to give his ribs a little more relief. " All we've done so far is speculate on a few things."

"So I heard." Megan glanced at Colby. "You have any hard facts about Patrick?"

Colby shook his head. "Naw, just thinking out loud. You have to admit that his behavior hasn't been exactly normal."

"That's true, but that could mean he's just out of his element here." She met Don's eye. "Are you buying into this?

Don leaned forward and lowered his voice. "I'm not convinced that it's O"Connell but Colby's right about one thing. Someone had to let this guy know that we were coming." Frowning, he flipped over a page in the report folder. " Think about it, evidence and narcotics were already finished with the site and the only reason the LAPD was even there was to wait for our arrival."

"So why even blow up the warehouse?" Colby muttered. "Did they expect us to find something that the others missed?"

Megan inclined her head. "Maybe there wasn't anything to see, maybe we were the target."

Don closed the file and stood up, moving slowly around the room until he came to the board containing the messages. He turned to face his team and posed the question. "How many people knew that we were going to be at the warehouse on Friday?"

"Hendricks knew and he wanted to know what time we would be going, remember?"

Don nodded at David. "That's right and I notified dispatch when we left."

Megan sat down on the corner of her desk. "Don't forget, LAPD knew that we were coming too."

"Well, I'm still not ruling out O"Connell." Colby stubbornly added.

David glanced around the glass walls at the busy office. "So were seriously considering a mole in this office or with the LAPD?"

Don scrubbed his hands through his hair as he walked back to his desk and sat down. "I don't think we can afford to rule out the possibility."

The agents grew silent and shared nervous glances as they thought over the possibility of one of their own working with the elusive bomber.

Don had re-opened the file while they were talking and quickly read over some of the details. "Did you guys know that both of the LAPD officers were killed?"

"The blast got them both." David said quietly.

Don shook his head. "No, they found the body of Sgt. Sam Newell buried under the rubble near the rear entrance to the warehouse." He paused and let his gaze touch all of them. "The blast didn't kill him, his throat was cut."

"Our bomber waited until we got there to set the timer and then had to get out fast." Megan mused. "He didn't have time to wait until Sgt. Newell was out of the way."

"Right." Don nodded his head in agreement. "The ATF is still sifting through the debris but I'm betting that it will be the same type of explosive used in the Ventura bank robbery."

Don's phone rang and he quickly answered. "Eppes…..right, we're on our way." He stood up and grabbed his jacket before turning to the others. "The AD wants to see all of us right now."

It was a little unsettling to think that one of their own could be working with someone that had tried to kill them so it was a subdued group of agents that headed for the elevator.

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The elevator door opened and Charlie tiredly stepped out just avoiding an agent rushing to get in before the door closed. With a mumbled apology she quickly pressed the floor button that she wanted and was soon lost to sight.

The tired mathematician scanned the room but was unable to find his quarry. He had given his last test that morning and now he could take his time grading them. Feeling more than a little guilty that he had been unable to help his brother with any cases lately, he had decided to make amends and treat him to lunch. Charlie was really hoping that Don didn't need his help with anything because what he really wanted to do was to go home and just sleep for about two days straight.

He walked slowly through the active office responding to the various greetings and nods from people on phones or busy tapping away at their computers. He was passing by Colby's vacant desk when a chart happened to catch his attention and his eyes widened in surprise as his and Amita's name appeared at the top of the chart. Casually, he raised his head and scanned the area, no one was taking any notice of his actions so he moved some scattered files out of the way and studied the chart. A slow smile crossed his face as an idea suddenly began to develop. He removed a twenty dollar bill from his wallet and placed it and his mother's initials on an empty square. Quickly replacing the folders he turned away and headed for his brother's desk.

Charlie frowned, it didn't look like any of the team was around . "_So much for lunch_" he thought dispiritedly. He had hoped to discuss their Dad's recent behavior with him. His father's metaphor had been unsettling and he was certain that Don felt the same way too. Alan had stuck to the two of them like glue last night and had driven Don to work this morning so the two of them had not had an opportunity to discuss the matter.

He sat down at his brother's desk to leave him a note and his eyes fell on the case file that Don was working on. Even though he had a top level security clearance Charlie resisted the urge to open the folder, after all, it was up to Don to bring him in on a case; as the SAC that was his call. Charlie hastily wrote out his note and stood to leave when his eyes fell upon the board with the photos and the scribbled notes.

He couldn't help himself, with just that one glance something started tugging at his brain. The mathematician perused the data that the team had gathered . He rubbed his chin thoughtfully and without even realizing what he was doing his fingers automatically closed around a marker and the equations just naturally began to flow across the white board.

The crimes were forming some kind of pattern. The data wasn't complete though, he needed more information to work out the pattern.

Charlie changed his focus and moved to another empty white board and wrote out the seemingly random numbers that were written on the scraps of paper.

8 5 20 16 12 4 4 14 1 9 6 2

9 12 23 12 25 1 16 18 6 15 18 5 20 9 8

He stepped back to survey the board and immediately recognized the cipher. It was similar to one that he had he had decoded on another case so he quickly wrote the translation below the numbers.

20 8 5 12 1 16 4 1 14 4 6 2 9

T H E- L A P D- A N D- F B I

23 9 12 12 16 1 25 6 15 18 29 8 5 8 18

W I L L- P A Y- F O R -T H E I R

He scanned the area for some more numbers but was unable to locate any others. Apparently someone had a personal vendetta against the police and the FBI. Charlie found himself suddenly angry at his brother. Why hadn't Don asked him to help out on this case? Some lunatic was going after them and Don hadn't even thought to ask him to decode the message. Scowling , he re-traced his steps to the first board and reviewed the information again. A bank robbery with an explosion that killed two police officers and injured two FBI agents. A drug raid at a warehouse and two drug runners dead at the scene. Nothing was written about the warehouse explosion yet, but it was obvious to him that it wasn't an accident. He frowned, upset at the thought of his brother keeping this information from him.

Charlie was so focused on the data that he didn't realize that someone else had entered the room but out of the corner of his eye he caught a flicker of movement. He glanced to his left expecting to see his brother but instead saw the face of a stranger, a stranger who seemed to be in awe of what he had just written.

The man came closer to the boards and then turned excitedly toward the mathematician.

"I can't believe how fast you translated those numbers. I was watching you from the outer office." The man rambled on. " Your Charles Eppes, aren't you?

Charlie extended his hand and flinched when the other man eagerly grabbed it and began to shake it furiously. "Ah…..yes I am."

"It is such a pleasure to meet you. I was beginning to think my time would be up before I got the chance to talk to you." He paused briefly to catch his breath. "Wow, you know you look even younger in person."

"I'm sorry, I don't understand. Your time would be up?" he asked as he tried unsuccessfully to free his hand.

"Forgive me Professor, I should have introduced myself first. My name is Patrick O'Connell and I'm with the PSN Special Branch. I've come over here to see if your mathematical applications could help us in our investigations." Smiling broadly he added. " I've been assigned to your brother's team."

"If you have a specific scenario, I would be happy to run a few equations for you." The young man offered while still trying to disengage his hand.

Charlie was beginning to get a little uncomfortable with the man. He either didn't care or was oblivious to the fact that the young man had been trying to get his hand released. O'Connell was a lot taller than Charlie and he was finding it more than a little disconcerting to look up at the man and be in such close proximity to him.

"Look, Mr. O'Connell, do you mind?" he asked as he looked pointedly at his hand still engulfed in the larger man's gloved hand.

O"Connell looked down and seemed genuinely surprised that he was still holding on to the mathematician's hand. He released it immediately and stepped back offering an apology.

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid I got a little excited." he mumbled looking away in embarrassment.

"Hey, Charlie. I didn't expect to see you here."

Charlie's head swiveled around and his face broke into a grin. "Don, I've been waiting for you."

Don watched as relief flitted across his brother's features and glanced sideways at the Irishman as his brother hurried over to his side.

"I actually came down to invite you to lunch but that was about an hour ago and then I got caught up in your investigation and lost track of time." He shrugged and looked back at the board, but his face darkened almost immediately and he turned back to face his brother with a scowl on his face.

"Don, why didn't you tell me about this case?" Charlie admonished him heatedly. " You guys are a target and you didn't think to even ask me to help?"

He was startled when his brother grabbed his arm.

"Charlie, you translated the numbers!" Don ignored his rant and rushed over to the board running a hand through his hair as he read the message.

"Look, Buddy, we didn't know we were targets until now." The skeptical look on his brother's face prompted him to add. "Okay, we suspected it after the explosion, but we really didn't have any proof."

"Don, do you have anymore numbers so I can finish the message?"

His brother shook his head. "No, this is all we've got until he leaves us another one."

"Okay, let me have all of your data, maybe I can come up with something before he strikes again. I'll try data mining and see if I can find any commonalities."

Megan, David and Colby had come in during the conversation .

"All right, Charlie's back." Colby slapped him on the shoulder.

"Look." O'Connelll pointed to the board. "He translated the numbers."

"I wonder what we did to piss this guy off?" Colby asked sarcastically after reading the message.

Don glanced at Megan. "What do your profiling instincts tell you about a guy who would send a message like that to us?"

"Well, my first impression is that he's someone that is extremely arrogant. He apparently feels that we did something to him and he intends to exact some kind of retribution." she paused, gathering her thoughts. "It's really too soon to form an opinion but judging from his previous actions, he's not going to stop until he finishes his agenda...whatever that may be." Her eyes drifted to the pictures on the board and then back to Don. "And we already know how far he's willing to go."

David's phone rang before he could make a comment about the message and he turned away to answer it. He listened intently for a few minutes, mumbled a thank you and closed it again.

"That was ATF, a yacht that was anchored in the Los Pedros Marina at Port Angeles has just exploded. They found a note addressed to us on the docks."

"Looks like our guys just struck again." Don silently gazed at his team. "Okay, David you and Colby take this one, just watch your backs."

"On our way." David responded.

They left quickly and Don turned to Megan and O'Connell. " Let's get that data for Charlie so he can find us a pattern."

As the other two turned away Don put his hand on his brother's shoulder. "Come on, I'll get you a cup of coffee."

They walked to the break room and as Don handed Charlie a cup he studied his brother's features.

"Are you okay? You seemed a little spooked when I walked in." Don asked, the concern evident in his voice.

Charlie shrugged, "That ah…that detective, O'Connell. He was just a little enthusiastic."

"Yeah, well, he's something of a fan, been chomping at the bit ever since he got here to get a chance to meet you." He grinned at him. "You probably made his day by showing up today."

Charlie rolled his eyes at him and changed the subject "Any ideas how we can get Dad to relax a little?" he asked as he sat down at one of the tables.

Don sat down in a chair opposite him and started stirring his coffee. Finally, he looked up and could see the worry in his brother's eyes. He leaned back in his chair and let out a sigh before answering.

"I don't know Charlie, I'm not sure what to do. He drove me to work this morning and after we got here, he didn't want to let me out of the car." He grinned at his brother. "I had to threaten him with kidnapping a federal agent before he would open the door."

Charlie laughed out loud at his comment and leaned forward. "Last night he actually opened my bedroom door to see if I was still there." he pointed at his brother. "He probably checked on you too."

Don grinned and nodded his head but his levity faded as a thought occurred to him.

"What about you? Did you sense anyone following you around today?'

"You know, it's the strangest thing, I didn't feel like I was being watched or followed at all today." He paused and met his brother's eyes. " Maybe it was just the stress of the finals."

Don wasn't buying it though. "All the same, just stay out in the open and out of the shadows." He raised his hand as Charlie started to open his mouth. "Just humor me, okay?"

Charlie suddenly scooted his chair back and stood up effectively ending the conversation. He wasn't really in the mood to discuss that subject with his brother at the moment.

"A security alarm representative is coming to the house at three-thirty so I'm going to have to leave soon. Do you think they have everything together?"

"Only one way to find out." His brother answered as he stood up. He knew when to let a subject drop and he could tell by Charlie's facial expression that it would be useless to try to talk to him anymore about the unseen watcher. Don wasn't going to give up though, he silently resolved to discuss the matter with him later.

He squeezed his brother's shoulder as they walked back to his desk. "Listen Chuck, we'll think of something to help Dad calm down. I'll come by for dinner and we can work on it."

"That's a good idea." his brother responded. "And don't call me Chuck."

Don was grinning from ear to ear as he opened the door to the bull-pen. Charlie's response to the dreaded name "Chuck" always brought a smile to his face. Teasing his brother was one of the best "perks" of being the "big brother" and he took full advantage of it whenever the opportunity presented itself.


	11. Chapter 11

Obsession

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: References to the Black Swan Theory were taken from "Wikipedia". Possible spoiler for the Black Swan Episode.

**Sun -Tzu The Art of War**

**All war is based on deception.**

Chapter 11

Tuesday

The next morning Charlie joined Don at FBI headquarters to collect any new data that the team had uncovered. While he was there Don and the team reviewed the information that David and Colby had gathered from the yacht explosion.

Another note had been found at the dock and Colby walked over and pinned it on the board beside the other messages.

9 5 3 14 5 16 4 21 14 9 11 20 5 1 3 11 2 1

Charlie didn't waste any time in transferring the figures to a board. Everyone watched in silence as he quickly assigned each number a letter. At first they just looked like a jumble of letters until he moved them around . When he was finished the new message read: impudence I take back

"I have more to add to the message now." he announced as he approached the board that held the incomplete message. He added the new words and successfully completed the first part of the message.

The LAPD and FBI will pay for their impudence.

I take back

Don leaned back in his chair. "Well, at least now we know the motive."

"Yeah, revenge." Megan agreed, "But what is he planning to take back?"

Frustrated, Don stood up and approached the boards, studying the message and the photographs. "Megan, you got anything that we can use here?"

She pulled at a strand of hair as she paced around the floor. "I've got nothing. This guy is not staying with any particular M.O. and so far the only connections that we have are the notes and the explosions."

"Did Hendricks send us anything else on the dead guys from the drug bust?" Don asked as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Maybe we can find a link there?"

Colby moved to his desk and clicked on his computer. He scrolled through his messages and was soon printing out the photographs of the two dead men.

"Raphael Mendoza and Jose Gutierrez, both have long rap sheets and were members of the 18th street Mexicali's." He paused as he read over the report. "Hey!" he exclaimed. "Didn't narcotics tell us there were two bodies?"

David pointed at the pictures on Colby's desk and with a smirk on his faced asked. "You mean those two dead guys?"

"Funny David." his partner retorted. "Check this out. According to this report there were three bodies, two downstairs and one upstairs." Raising his eyes to meet Don's he asked. "Did you guys see a chalk outline up there?"

Don shook his head. "No, but then we didn't have time to go in every room. Is there anything on the third guy?"

"Not really, says here that he was already dead when the bust went down. He was younger than the other dealers and didn't look like one of them. The report says there were no obvious wounds and that they were waiting for the autopsy to give them the cause of death."

"That autopsy should have been finished by now and that report updated. " Don bent over the desk and picked up the photographs. "Are you sure the results of the autopsy aren't included there?"

"Let me check again." Colby said as he re-checked the report. "Nope, nothing regarding the autopsy. Wait, here's something else they didn't tell us."

Don sat on the edge of his desk. "Well?"

"Oh, sorry." Colby quickly replied. "The note was found on the dead guy upstairs."

"Remind me to thank them for the information sharing." Don added sarcastically as he walked around the room.

"So, what if the dead guy upstairs was our connection and had nothing to do with the drug bust." He turned suddenly and faced his team. "What if the bomber didn't know about the drugs being sold at the warehouse. Let's say that he just figured the warehouse would be a good place to leave the dead guy, lead us there and then set off the bomb, only the narcotics team got there first and we didn't find out about it until the next day."

Don motioned with his hands as he spoke and glanced at his brother for confirmation. "Like that black swan thing you used on that case a couple of months ago. You know, the one where the bomber just happened to be at the same place as our drug bust, a seemingly random occurence."

Charlie's eyebrows rose and he grinned at Don, delighted that he had remembered and had applied it accurately. "That's it exactly."

"What?" Don asked, pretending to be insulted. "I do remember some of your theories." His admission elicited a few snickers from his fellow agents and his own face broke into a smile in response.

The young professor had noted O'Connell's look of puzzlement and went on to explain the theory a little further.

"Patrick, according to Nassim Nichols Taleb's definition, a black swan is a large-impact, hard-to-predict, and rare event beyond the realm of normal expectations. Taleb also argues for the use of counterfactual reasoning when considering risk..."

"But we don't really need to know that part, right?" Colby interrupted.

Charlie smiled and slowly shook his head. "No, I guess we don't really need to discuss that part of the theory."

"Colby, let's see a picture of this guy." Don asked, bringing the teams focus back to the case.

The younger agent scanned through the report again and shook his head. "Sorry, Don, they didn't send one."

"What's with those guys, we should have had all of this from the "get go." He met Colby's eyes. "Get back to them asap, we need to identify this guy. I have a feeling that he is our missing link."

"Right away, Don."

"So, you do think we were the target?" Megan asked.

Don sat back down on the edge of Colby's desk and crossed his arms. "It's starting to look that way. I mean, think about it, he didn't blow up the warehouse when the narcotics team was there. If his goal had been just to kill FBI agents he could have done it then."

Don turned to David and Colby. "What did you get on that yacht?"

David flipped open a folder on his desk and removed three photographs. The first two that he gave to Don were copies of the California Driver's licenses of the owners of the yacht. The third one was a file photo from the Los Pedros Marina of the yacht itself.

"It was one of those super-yacht's." Frowning he opened a small notebook that he had removed from his pocket. " The yacht was bought at an auction by a married couple in San Pedro, a Jason and Angela Martin, but we haven't been able to make contact with them yet." He paused and grimly added. "The coast guard found two bodies in the water but they were burned so badly that any I.D's will have to be made through dental records."

David shrugged his shoulders. " The Martin's appear to be clean, no criminal records so far but were still checking."

He took the three photographs along with the pictures of the two dead drug dealers and pinned them on the boards with the others.

Don sighed and rubbed his chin. "I have a feeling that the Martin's aren't going to be able to answer any of our questions."

While Charlie listened to the exchange a sudden feeling of trepidation came over him. "_It can't be the "Imperious", Bashere can't be back_!" he thought, fighting down the panic that threatened to engulf him whenever he thought of the man. He cleared his throat and with a slight quiver in his voice he asked . "What was the name of the yacht?"

Don glanced at Charlie with concern. He didn't have to see the sudden fear in his brother's eyes or hear the slight tremble in his voice to know what he was thinking and immediately tried to ease his fears.. "There are a lot of yachts at that Marina, Charlie."

David understood his worry as well…they all did. He shook his head and spoke up quickly. "It wasn't that one Charlie, this one was called "The Rising Sun."

"Not anymore." Colby added sarcastically.

"Well, let's search it's history anyway, maybe the connection is the boat and not the people." Don stood up and walked over to stare at the message. "We need to find the connection before he strikes again."

Charlie looked over the stacks of files on the desk. "Well, I can get started on these anyway, maybe I can come up with something."

The team had put together two boxes of files for him and he intended to use the super-computer at CalSci to speed things up a bit. Classes were over now so he didn't expect to have any opposition to his request to use it. However, his first step was to input the pertinent data.

Don followed his brother's eyes as he surveyed the two boxes. "This is going to take you most of the day."

Charlie nodded slowly and then a teasing expression flitted across his face. "Yeah, you volunteering to help me do it?"

"Sorry, Buddy, I've got too much to do here." His brother retorted with a grin.

"Ah…. Don… I could help him with it, I really wouldn't mind doing it." O'Connell offered, as he walked over to stand beside the young professor. " I'm caught up with my reports and I don't have anything new to work on right now."

All eyes turned toward the Irishman as he eagerly turned to face Charlie. "I'd consider it a honor, Professor." he added hopefully.

Charlie shrugged and locked eyes with Don. "I really could use a little help , so what do you think?"

Don's brow furrowed as he considered the offer remembering how uncomfortable Charlie had looked when they had arrived yesterday, not to mention the trust issue that he was having with the man.

Taking Charlie by the arm, he turned and said. "Give us a minute." He lead his brother through the door and out into the outer office.

Charlie's eyes showed puzzlement as he turned around to face Don. "What's wrong?"

In a low voice he asked. "Are you sure about this? Yesterday I sort of got the impression that O'Connell made you a little uncomfortable."

Charlie's face relaxed into a smile. "Yeah, I'm sure and besides once I start lecturing about the algorithms his eyes will start glazing over the way yours do and he'll probably lose his enthusiasm pretty fast."

Don grinned and shook his head. "Okay, if your sure."

Charlie nodded his head and as they returned to the conference room Don motioned to the Irishman.

"Looks like you've got computer detail, Patrick. Gather your things, Charlie's ready to head back to CalSci."

"Thank you, sir" O'Connell said excitedly. "You won't regret this."

"I won't regret it, but you might." Don patted Charlie on the back and added. "Once the professor starts talking you may regret volunteering for this assignment."

"Oh, no sir, I can't wait to hear about the many mathematical applications that he has used on your cases."

Charlie couldn't stop his grin as Don rolled his eyes behind the Irishman's back. He raised his own eyebrows in response as he picked up one of the boxes and started for the door.

"See you later, huh?" Don called after him.

Patrick grabbed the other box and quickly caught up with Charlie. They headed for the elevators, with the Irishman talking animatedly to the young professor all the while.

Colby joined Don as he watched the elevator door close. "I don't know who to feel sorry for, Charlie or Patrick." he commented dryly.

"I feel sorry for Charlie, I think he's in for a long afternoon." David added. "That man has been waiting to talk to him ever since he got here." He glanced sideways at the lead agent. "So, you don't believe that he is working with the bomber?"

"Still just speculation, David." Megan added her opinion as she joined them.

"Speculation's all we've got right now guys, what we need is some good hard evidence." Don said as he turned away and headed back to his desk.

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Towering over the city from his lofty perch, Henri Bashere tightened the belt on his luxurious robe. The penthouse boasted it's own Jacuzzi and he had just taken advantage of it and was in an exceptional mood. Standing on the balcony, he ran his eyes over the city below him. Ants, he decided, the millions of people below him, running here and there reminded him of ants; little bugs that he could just step on if they crossed his path. Henri smiled at the thought, he enjoyed stepping on the ones that managed to get in his way. He eased himself down and stretched out on the plush lounge chair loosening his robe so the sun could warm his chest and legs. His drink was sitting on a table near the chair and as he sipped it, the remaining aspects of his plan played through his mind.

The yacht had been destroyed and along with it anyone who thought that they could actually own something that belonged to him. Two more events to play out before the "grand finale" on Friday and then he would simply disappear without a trace, with Charles Eppes at his side.

The phone rang interrupting his daydreams and he answered it with a slight irritation to his voice.

"Yes, I'm expecting them…send them up." He stood up and tightened the belt on the robe as he made his way to the door. He looked through the peep hole in the door before opening it and allowing the two men to enter the room.

Bashere strolled over to the bar and mixed himself a fresh drink. "Well, did you take care of that loose end?"

Picarry nodded his head. "It's done, we made it look like a robbery. Do you want his computer or should we destroy it?"

"Just make sure it gets destroyed." Henri took a sip of his drink. "You found nothing else, he kept no other files?"

"Nothing, we got everything." Picarry was puzzled and just had to ask. "I thought you liked his work, what did he do wrong?"

"He got careless, the young man knew that he was being followed, he's even considering a security alarm for his house." He stirred the ice in his drink with his finger. "We need to back off just a little so he'll let his guard down." He looked up and studied the two men standing in front of him. "After all, we can't risk his big brother putting a guard on him, can we?"

Bashere's gaze could be unsettling, and the two mercenary's standing in front of him were not immune to it's effects.

Alexis Krill, hardened South African mercenary, feared no one but Bashere's stare was enough to give him pause. The man's eyes reminded him of a shark's eyes, dark, without feeling, dead eyes. He shuddered and cleared his throat, breaking eye contact before asking.

"Do you need us for anything else tonight?"

"No, I'll send word when I need you again. " Dismissing them with a slight wave of his hand Bashere turned and headed for the balcony. "Your money is in the envelope on the desk and make sure you lock the door on the way out."

Dismissed, the two men hurried over to the desk and quickly divided the money between them before they left the apartment carefully locking the door behind them.

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Charlie pressed the last key with a flourish and checked his watch, three hours and fifteen minutes to compile all of the information. True to his word, O'Connell had shown that he was up to the task and had rapidly keyed in his share of the data. Now both men stood and stretched sore muscles and tired fingers.

The Irishman arched his back and let out a groan. "Man, my back is really stiff."

"Occupational hazard," Charlie retorted with a grin.

"What's next Professor?"

"Well, next I feed the information to the super-computer and let it do the data-mining for us."

He pressed a few more keys on his laptop and sent the data stream to the computer.

"Well, that's all we can do for now. The data run will probably take most of the night and I'll collect it first thing in the morning and see if we have a hit."

Patrick checked his watch and moved closer to the younger man.

Charlie was in the process of putting his laptop in his bag and hadn't noticed the man come up behind him.

"Professor, since we can't do anymore here, and it's close to six o'clock, I was wondering if you had any dinner plans?"

Surprised, Charlie turned to face the Irishman and stammered. "I'm sorry….ah….I really should head home…my a…Dad will be expecting me."

"Oh, of course, I just thought it would give me a chance to ask you about a few of your mathematical applications." Disappointment reflected in the man's eyes and as he turned away he added. " Perhaps we can do it some other time."

Charlie felt guilty, the Irishman probably didn't know too many people here and he had gotten the impression that Don's team didn't like him very much.

"Look, why don't you come home with me and have dinner with us and afterward we can discuss some of your case scenarios."

"Are you sure your father won't mind.?" Patrick asked excitedly.

Charlie responded with a smile. "I'm sure, but I'll call and let him know to set another plate."

They gathered up the boxes and headed out to the parking lot.

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Alan brought his hand up to stifle the beginnings of a yawn but it was too late, it seemed to take on a life of it's own and was loud enough to get Don's attention. They were watching a baseball game that had gone into extra innings but the elder Eppes was losing his battle to stay awake.

"Maybe you should go to bed Dad." Don suggested after the yawn had subsided.

"I will, I just wanted to wait until you guys were ready to go up." His glasses had slipped down on his nose and he peered over the tops of them at his son. " You are staying over tonight, right?'

Don studied his father. "Do you still feel like something is going to happen? I mean …like that fish... thingy... you talked about the other day?"

Alan sighed and nodded unhappily. "Yeah, the feeling's still there and it's growing stronger Donnie." He pulled off his glasses and rubbed at his eyes. "Charlie is feeling better though, he says that he doesn't feel like he's being watched anymore"

Don nodded. thoughtfully. "I know, he told me that too."

They heard the kitchen door close and watched as Charlie came into view. He shuffled slowly through the room, coming to a stop at the bottom of the stairs.

"Who's winning?"

"Tie game." Don answered. "Has O'Connell left?"

"Yeah." The youngest Eppes arched his back in a stretch and yawned tiredly. "I finally had to tell him that I was getting tired so that he would leave. " Another yawn escaped him before he could finish. "He's really eager to learn about my work." He rubbed at his eyes and glanced at his brother. "You staying?'

"Yeah, I guess so." he answered, yawning himself.

Grinning, Charlie headed up the stairs. "I have first dibs on the shower."

"Not if I get there first." Don called out as he switched off the TV and he and Alan follwed Charlie up the stairs.


	12. Chapter 12

Obsession

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: I really appreciate your reviews.

**Sun Tsu**

**The more you read and learn, the less your adversary will know**

Chapter 12

Wednesday

The Brinks armored truck moved slowly through the LA morning traffic. The truck had just left the Los Angeles National Bank with money the Federal Government had accumulated from the sale of confiscated property of convicted criminals. Five bags of money totaling well over fifty million dollars were headed for the Federal Reserve Bank in Sacramento.

Wayne Johnson had decided to take charge of this operation personally; he couldn't afford anymore mistakes. Currently in a large delivery van exactly one car behind the Brinks truck, Johnson was mentally checking off the necessary steps as his plan began to unfold.

He picked up his cell phone and pressed a few pre-arranged buttons for a conference call. After all of his men had checked in he gave them the signal to begin the operation.

Wayne watched in his side view mirror as the UPS truck slowly pulled into the left lane and passed his van. The driver eased his way through the traffic until he passed the armored truck and pulled into the right lane directly in front of the vehicle. The traffic continued to crawl along and once again Johnson watched as a semi tractor-trailer moved into the left lane and worked it's way between the cars until it was alongside of the armored truck. The car in front of Wayne veered off at the next turn, giving him the opportunity that he needed and he quickly moved into position. Another one of his men was in a car directly behind him with a device that could emit a pulse of infrared light. With this device they could take control of the traffic lights.

The plan was a simple one, take over of the truck as soon as it passed under the approaching underpass. The traffic light would turn red as soon as all of their vehicles and the armored truck were stopped directly beneath the bridge.

The light changed and once again the traffic moved forward. This time, however, the UPS truck, tractor-trailer and armored car disappeared under the bridge. At a signal from Johnson, his partner kept the light green long enough for him to maneuver his truck beneath the bridge. The light changed to red and the traffic came to a stop as he moved even closer to the rear bumper of the truck. The Brinks vehicle was now effectively hidden from view on all sides and his men went into action.

Three men wearing facial oxygen masks jumped out of his van and quickly approached the vehicle. One of them rolled a canister under the armored vehicle and smoke rapidly encased the truck. The truck doors opened almost immediately as two guards jumped from it coughing and wiping at their eyes. Realizing what was happening the guards tried to defend themselves but to no avail. They were already weakened from breathing in the smoke and were quickly subdued. The door to the back of the truck was flung open and another guard stumbled onto the highway. He barely made it past the bumper before Johnson's men overpowered him. With the truck surrounded by the large vehicles no one saw them put the unconscious guards in the back of the truck along with the now empty canister. They took over the vehicle and when the traffic light changed to green the armored truck started moving along with the rest of the traffic…right on cue.

"_As smooth as silk." _Wayne smiled and sighed with relief as they headed for the appointed meeting place. He checked out the other commuters on the highway and grinned again. Apparently they had been so focused on their own affairs that no one had witnessed what had just taken place. The smoke had dissipated quickly and if anyone had noticed it, it would have disappeared before it's source could have been discovered.

The trucks veered off the highway at different exits. The van, UPS truck and tractor-trailer would be immediately returned to their owner, a rental company that had so many trucks that it was unlikely they were even missed. Johnson and his men would meet up with the Brinks truck at a dockside warehouse in San Pedro.

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Don decided that his luck was taking a turn for the worse. He found that riding in the elevator with a friendly Patrick O'Connell was worse than the sullen Patrick O'Connell that he had become accustomed to.

For starters, the man talked incessantly. Secondly, he was just too cheerful for this time of the morning. Last night's meal at the Eppes casa seemed to have unleashed the real Irishman and he appeared bound and determined to make up for lost time.

Smiling from ear to ear he praised Alan's lasagna and although Don was sure that his last comment "_what a remarkable sense of humor for someone of his age." _was meant as a compliment, he made a mental note not to share that last little tidbit with his Dad. By the time they had stopped at the second floor the Irishman had moved on to Charlie. Dr. Eppes said this, Charlie believes that and the Professor said this…and on and on and on. Don was contemplating shoving him out of the elevator at the next stop just to shut him up, but he sighed inwardly and patiently waited for the door to slide open so he could make his escape.

Finally, the door opened on his floor and with a sigh of relief and a muttered "_it's about time" _he stepped out of the elevator. The Irishman was in front of him and Don did a double take. Did he really see Patrick perform an "Irish Jig" as he exited the elevator.? _No, he didn't see that… did he_?" He blinked and kept an eye on the man as he walked toward the bull-pen.

Don deliberately walked slowly behind the man trying to put enough distance between them so he could escape to the break room for a well-needed cup of coffee. He watched as Megan lifted her head in surprise to his jaunty greeting of "Top of the Morning to you." as the man made his way over to his desk. Don couldn't hear the greetings that were called out to David and Colby but judging from their expressions the Irishman had caught them by surprise as well.

With a glance at his team Don strolled to the break room. After quickly preparing his coffee he stuck the coffee stirrer between his teeth and made a bee-line back to his desk.

"Good morning." he mumbled as he sank into his chair.

He received the same responses from his team members and glanced sideways at the Irishman. Patrick already appeared to be immersed in his work.

"Anything new this morning?" he asked as he fired up his computer and pulled out file folders from his desk drawer.

Colby looked up from his computer long enough to say. "Not on this end, did Charlie come up with anything yet?"

An enthusiastic voice responded to his question. "Charlie said he would be over as soon as he got the data from the super computer. He didn't think that it would take very long but he couldn't give me a time."

All heads turned toward the Irishman in surprise. "I just talked to him, he's on his way to CalSci right now."

Three astonished faces turned back to face Don, obviously waiting for an explanation. O" Connell had turned back to his computer so Don just mouthed the words "_Don't ask." _and rolled his eyes.

Megan snickered and looked down , her hair successfully hiding the grin that had suddenly enveloped her face. Colby wasn't as subtle and he laughed out loud , forcing David to turn away to hide his own laughter.

Don took a sip of coffee and mumbled that it was too early in the morning to be around so many cheerful people and shouldn't "said people" be busy working on the case?

Still grinning his team quieted down and soon all were immersed in the case.

"Colby, did narcotics send over that picture yet or get an I.D on that John Doe?"

"Nothing yet, Don, at the very least we should have had a photograph with that original documentation."

"Well, get a hold of Hendricks and find out what's going on. We need that information."

Colby opened his phone and started dialing just as the elevator door opened and Charlie walked out carrying his ever present laptop. Patrick O'Connell was out of his seat and beside the young professor before he had taken several steps, greeting him with a slap on the back that threatened to send the young man tumbling to the floor.

Don started to get up to rescue him but then stopped when he remembered his elevator ride that morning. "_Oh, sweet justice_" he thought as the corners of his lips turned upward in a mischievous smile.

"It's okay Patrick, I have it, really, you don't need to take it." Charlie was saying as he gripped his laptop tightly to his chest.

"But I just want to help." O'Connell responded as he tried to take the laptop from it's owner.

"I know but I've got it, okay?" Charlie had a white-knuckled death-grip on his laptop, refusing to let the Irishman take it from him.

"Hey Charlie, did you come up with something?" Don asked struggling to keep a straight face.

Relief flickered across the young man's face as he turned toward his brother. "Yes and no. Yes, I found proof that there is a connection between all of the cases, and no, I can't tell you what it is yet. It's a "hidden set." I know it's there but I can't identify it yet. I need more data."

Don's desk phone rang before he could respond and he waved a hand to stop Charlie's explanation.

"Eppes." he answered and his eyebrows rose as he listened to the caller. "Let me get this straight, the bank manager got a phone call after the robbery telling him that he should specifically notify my team. Really? What's the address? Okay, got it , thanks." he added as he hung up the phone. He stood up and grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair and turned to his brother.

"Sorry, Buddy, we have to leave, I'll let you know when we have more data. Come on guys, we've got an armored truck heist to investigate."

Charlie grabbed his arm and held him back as the other agents headed for the elevator.

"Don, wait." he said anxiously. "The heist is connected to this case, isn't it?" Without waiting for an answer he pressed on. " The person behind this has probably set another trap for you."

"Don't worry Charlie, we'll be careful" He squeezed his brother 's arm and hurried to join the others. "I'll see you at dinner." he called back over his shoulder.

Charlie watched as the elevator door closed with an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. The bull-pen which had been so active only moments before now seemed eerily quiet to him.

Sighing to himself he headed for the elevator. As he pressed the button and stepped aboard he remembered that he was supposed to tell Don that Angus Fitzgerald would be joining them for dinner that evening. Alan had convinced him to give the man another chance and he had been on the verge of refusing when he realized that the dinner might help raise his father's spirits. Charlie was so worried about Alan's state of mind that at this point he was willing to try anything.

"_Oh, well." _he thought, "_Don would just be in for a surprise_." A mischievous smile suddenly appeared on his face as he pressed the button for the lobby.

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Bashere was already at the warehouse when Johnson and his men arrived with the armored car. He climbed out of this limo as soon as the doors of the warehouse closed behind the trucks.

"Any problems?"

"No sir, not a one. Everything went according to plan." he answered as he opened the rear doors of the armored truck. The three guards were still unconscious on the floor of the truck and the money bags were being moved closer to the door by one of Johnson's men. One by one, he handed the bags out and Wayne put them on the ground. He grabbed some tools and after removing the locks he stepped away from the bags as Bashere came over to look inside them.

The Frenchman removed four stacks of bundled currency and handed them to Johnson."

"You'll get more after the last job" He removed a folded paper from his jacket pocket. " Be sure to put this note on one of the guards."

Wayne took the paper from him; he already knew what it was, some kind of coded message that Bashere was taunting the FBI and LAPD with. A dangerous game in his mind, but then he wasn't the one who was paying for this job. If Bashere got his kicks writing those messages, then so be it. As long as he got his money, the Frenchman could do whatever he wanted.

"What about the guards?" He asked and barely supressed a shudder as he felt the man's cold gaze on him.

"What about them?" He asked in a dangerously quiet voice, narrowing his eyes as he moved closer. "I don't want any witnesses…is that understood?"

Johnson swallowed and he could suddenly feel the sweat start to form on his upper lip. "Yes sir, no witnesses."

"Good." Bashere studied his face then turned to leave. "Were finished here. Remember, two days and were done." He turned and looked back over his shoulder to add. "Don't forget your little surprise for our favorite FBI agents tomorrow."

"Don't worry, we'll get them this time." he called back as the door of the limo closed. Johnson watched as the car disappeared and absently wiped his upper lip. If he had been a religious man he could believe that he had just been standing face to face with the devil for he had never met a man who fit that role more perfectly than Bashere.

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Later in the afternoon Don and his team returned to the FBI office after meetings with the employees of the Armored Trucking Company and the Los Angeles National Bank.

David and Colby were studying the web-cam videos from the traffic security cameras trying to pinpoint the location of the truck hijacking. They already knew the truck's intended route but so far they had not been able to establish how far the truck had remained on it's schedule before the hijacking.

Colby suddenly snapped his fingers.

David looked over. "Did you see something?"

Colby shook his head. "No, but I bet Charlie could come up with something, pretty quick."

His partner grinned at him. "He's already trying to find a connection between the other cases. Let's just keep looking."

Colby grimaced and settled down to peruse the videos again. "Where's O'Connell anyway, shouldn't he be helping us with this?"

David shrugged his shoulders. "He said he had a personal call to make to Ireland." Glancing at his watch, he added. "He should be back soon."

"Yeah, probably after we've finished here." His partner grumbled. "Why can't he make his calls from here or is there something that he doesn't want us to hear?" He raised his eyebrows suggestively.

David clicked on the next set of web-cam videos. "Give it a rest Colby, like Don said, we don't have any evidence, besides Patrick says he can call home for free if he calls from the Embassy. It's as simple as that, man."

"So he says." Colby retorted but dropped the subject and focused his attention on the videos.

Meanwhile, Megan and Don were busy checking out the employees of the bank and the security company. Specifically, the guards that were on the truck and the bank manager that handled the hand-off.

Megan looked over her glasses at the lead agent. "Anything yet?"

He rubbed at his eyes and arched his back as he answered. "Nothing but a stiff back. You?

Don glanced at his watch and sighed, once again the time had gotten away from them. Six-thirty, they should have called it a day an hour and a half ago. All of them, with the exception of O'Connell were still suffering from the effects of the explosion. He gazed around the room at his team, fatigue visible in their movements and on their faces.

"Let's call it a night guys. There's nothing more that we can do here tonight." He ordered, turning off his own computer and putting his files away. Tomorrow was another day and any new information would come with the morning light.

The weary team cleared their desks and quietly headed for the elevators.

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"That was delicious. What did you call it again?" Don asked as he lifted his glass of water and took a sip.

The Scotsman was delighted with the praise. "I'm so thrilled that you liked it. This particular dish was called Filet of Kilmelford Halibut, with Fennel Pollen, Samphire, Violet Artichokes and Sauce Barigoule."

"Yeah…ah…right, that's what I thought you said."

Alan admonished his oldest son with mildly raised eyebrows as he turned back to their guest. "He's right Angus, this was really great, thank you for preparing it for us." Alan took a sip of wine. "I have to admit, Angus, I'm glad that you talked me into letting you cook tonight's dinner."

"Oh, your more than welcome and I didn't do it all, you helped me." He said praising Alan generously. " I'm just happy that all of you enjoyed it." Angus added, with a hopeful glance in Charlie's direction. He was obviously waiting for the youngest member of the family to comment on the dinner.

Halfway through the meal Charlie suddenly got an inspiration and had to pull a small notebook from his pocket. He immediately started scribbling numbers on the page and three pages later he was no longer paying attention to the conversation that was going on around him. That is, until he felt the painful result of a kick to his shin.

"Ow!" slipped out as he quickly raised his head, looking around for the culprit.

Alan suspected the reason for Charlie's sudden attention and took advantage of it.

"Charlie, what did you think of the meal?"

"Huh?" Oh, I've never had fish prepared that way before but it was really good, " He glanced sideways at his brother and the smirk on Don's face proved his suspicions. "Ah, Angus where did you learn to cook like that?"

"My late wife was a marvelous cook and an excellent teacher, so I must give her the credit for my culinary skills. Also, my hometown is a seaport, so fish has become a large part of our diet."

"Angus, what part of Scotland did you say you were from?" Don's natural investigative skills were beginning to take control.

"Inverness." His green eyes seem to light up as he spoke of his home. "As I said before, it's a seaport since it is close to the Ness River and the Caledonian Canal. It's also known as the "Capital of the Highlands."

"You sound like you are a little home sick." Alan commented.

The other man flushed and looked away momentarily. "Yes, well I suppose I am. I've enjoyed my trip to the states very much but we all miss our homes when we are away from them, don't we?"

Alan looked around the Craftsman before answering. "I suppose your right, it's okay to visit somewhere for a little while, but I usually can't wait to get back home again."

Don was getting bored and had a sudden inspiration himself. "Look, Dad, why don't you and Angus play your Chess game. Charlie and I can clean up, after all, you guys prepared the meal."

"He's right." Charlie agreed, immediately seeing his brother's strategy. He stood up and started gathering the dishes before Alan could answer. "We'll take care of this."

"Are you sure?" the Scotsman hesitated.

"Come on Angus, let's go before they change their minds." Alan remarked as he rose from his chair. "Let's get that game started. I believe that we are two for two."

"If it's okay with you Alan, I'd like some more wine. Why don't you start setting the game up and I'll fill our glasses and bring them right over."

He took the older man's glass and starting pouring the wine. Alan shrugged and strolled over to the small round table in the foyer. Moving the crystal bowl to the side, he set up the pieces as Angus carried the full glasses over.

Angus placed the glasses on the table and pulled up his chair. "Isn't this marvelous, let's toast to a wonderful evening." They raised their glasses in a toast and both took a drink.

"It's your move Angus." Alan prompted as he took another sip of his wine. He paused for a minute as he swallowed the wine, a puzzling look appearing on his face.

"What's the matter?" The Irishman asked with concern.

"It tastes different, how does your taste?"

Angus smiled at him. " This is a Scottish wine that I just opened. I wanted to surprise you." he took another sip. "What do you think.?" Angus inclined his head. "Would you like a different wine?"

Embarrassed, Alan shook his head. "No, no this will do just fine. I was just expecting the other one." he took another sip. " I believe it's your move."

"Yes, yes I know, I'm just trying to figure out what your next move will be." he replied amicably.

Alan had a sudden thought. "Do you have a large family?"

Angus looked up and smiled. "No, not really. I have two daughters, both are married now and two granddaughters from Marla, my oldest. Amy is my youngest and she is pregnant with her first child., due next month actually." He paused as he moved his knight to a new position. "If things go well, I should be back in time for the birth."

Alan looked ruefully at the kitchen door and snorted. "Two huh…and one on the way." He shook his head sadly as he carefully studied the board. "I'm still waiting for my first."

At that moment Charlie and Don came through the swinging door to collect more dirty dishes.

"Look, all I'm saying is that I could help you improve your stance if you would let me do a few calculations."

"Listen, Chuck, how many times do I have to tell you, baseball is all about how you play the game, not numbers." He turned around and headed back toward the kitchen carrying a stack of dishes.

"Hey baseball is the most statistically driven sport in the world." Charlie countered as he collected the remainder of the dirty utensils and followed his brother into the kitchen. As the door closed they could hear Charlie finish his sentence. "and don't call me Chuck."

Angus smiled sympathetically at Alan. "I'm curious Alan, have they always gotten along so well?"

An eager look crossed Alan's features as he moved his game piece. "Check." he said and took a hearty drink of the wine. He was feeling more and more relaxed now, more than he had in a long while, so he leaned back and crossed his arms as he watched the Scotsman ponder his next move.

The Scotsman shook his head ruefully. "My, my, I should have been paying more attention."

"To answer your question about the boys, well no, that haven't always enjoyed each other's company." He paused and took another drink, eager to discuss his favorite subject, his sons. " Charlie's genius at such an early age built a wedge between them. It put them in different worlds actually. Donnie was athletic, outgoing and very popular with the kids." He sighed and looked down at his hands for a moment and his expression softened a little as he spoke of his youngest. "Charlie, on the other hand, had to have special classes and teachers. He didn't have much time for anything else and when they graduated they more or less went they're separate ways. It wasn't until Donnie came back to LA and Charlie started working with him that they discovered that their worlds weren't so different after all." He shook his head slowly. "Now , they're almost inseparable, not just brothers but true friends."

"Really? That's amazing, most brothers at their age have already gone their separate ways."

Alan grinned. "Yeah, I think they're making up for lost time." His smile faded though as a thought occurred to him, one that he had been worrying about all week. "They've become so close now that I don't know how they would cope if something happened to one of them."

"What do you mean, Alan?"

Alan shrugged. "You know how dangerous Don's job is and how Charlie works with him sometimes."

The Scotsman nodded his head.

"God forbid that I should ever lose my boys but if anything ever happened to Don, I would probably lose Charlie too, especially if he thought that he was responsible."

"I don't understand, what are you saying?"

"You see, when Charlie first started working with his brother there was a case involving serial bank robbers. Charlie predicted the day, time and place of the next robbery and Don's team confronted them. Shots were fired, one agent was killed and Donnie's arm was grazed by a bullet. Charlie felt responsible and retreated into his own world, a world where the outside couldn't touch him, he lost himself in his numbers, working day and night on an unsolvable math problem. It was Donnie that finally brought him back to us."

With a trembling hand he took another sip of wine. " Losing Donnie would be horrible enough." he took another drink. "Yet, I know in my heart that I would lose Charlie as well, not physically but mentally. He would not be able to face the loss, especially if he felt responsible and the numbers in his head would take over and I would lose him forever." Alan's voice broke and he took another sip of wine to hide his emotional state. "In Donnie's case, he would be devastated if something happened to Charlie, especially if he thought it was his fault. He would live the rest of his life in misery, never forgiving himself."

Angus seemed stunned by this revealation and his brows drew closer together as he studied him. "You really believe that this could happen, don't you?"

Before Alan could answer, a burst of laughter suddenly erupted from the kitchen. The sound of their voices reminded the elder Eppes that his sons were still there and that was enough to shake him out of his dark reverie. He couldn't understand what had come over him, why had he started talking that way. Alan couldn't believe that he had just told his deepest fears to someone that he had known for less than a week. Suddenly embarrassed, he made eye contact with the man sitting across from him.

"Please forgive an old man's foolishness." he said apologetically. " I believe it's your move, Angus."

"There are no apologies necessary, Alan. There comes a time when we all need to talk to someone about our concerns." He took a sip of wine and studied the chessboard. " I hate to point this out, but "checkmate".

"Now, who should have been paying attention. You sidetracked me with that question about the boys, but it won't work again. Shall we play another?"

The Scotsman nodded and they set up the pieces to play another game.

"Oh, Angus, before I forget, I wanted to ask you if Charlie ever autographed that book for you?"

The Scotsman flushed and looked away. "To be honest, I've been too embarrassed to ask him again."

"Nonsense, I'm sure he'll be happy to do it for you. We'll ask him as soon as he comes out of the kitchen. In the meantime, I believe that you have the first move."


	13. Chapter 13

-1Obsession:

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: Your kind reviews fill me with encouragement and I truly appreciate each and every one of them. Thank you.

**Sun Tzu The Art of War**

**All war is based on deception**

Chapter 13:

Thursday morning

7:00 a.m.

Charlie yawned as he came down the stairs. He eagerly followed the tantalizing aroma of coffee brewing in the kitchen and as his foot left the last step on the stairway he glanced around the room but it was empty. He continued on out to the kitchen and pushed open the swinging door expecting to find his father there but to his surprise the kitchen was also empty.

"Dad...Dad." He called out but there was no answering response.

He grabbed a cup from the cupboard and filled it with coffee. Charlie took a sip of the warm liquid and sighed with delight. If he had to admit to having a an addiction to any substance it would have to be the coffee bean; he just couldn't start his day without his coffee "fix". Of course, Amita would argue that a slice of lemon meringue pie was his downfall, but he knew that the pie would always come in second to that first cup of coffee that he cherished every morning.

He took another sip and walked over to the kitchen window so he could check out the backyard for his father and sure enough, there he was, sitting on the bench beside the koi pond but it was the way Alan was sitting that caught his eye. Charlie's brow furrowed and he grew worried as he studied his father's profile.

Alan had slumped forward with his head bowed and his eyes cast downward, staring at the koi below him, his coffee cup forgotten on the bench beside of him.

Charlie grabbed a second cup and filled it with the hot coffee before going outside to join his father. He walked slowly so he wouldn't spill any of it and sat down quietly on the bench next to him as he replaced the cold cup with the warm one. Alan didn't respond to his presence so Charlie gently touched his hand.

"Dad?" He scooted over a little closer when Alan didn't answer and squeezed his shoulder.

"Are you okay?"

Alan lifted his head and the young man was surprised to see tears in his eyes.

Charlie's eyebrows rose in surprise and his own expressive eyes clouded with concern as he grabbed his father's hand.

"Dad, what is it? Tell me what's wrong?" He frantically pulled out his cell phone and flipped it open. "Should I call 911?"

Embarrassed, Alan reached out his hand and closed the phone before looking away and fishing a tissue from his pocket. He blew his nose before turning back to face his son.

"I'm not sick Charlie."

"But...Dad...you've been so depressed lately." He search his father's face closely, noting the look of despair on his face.

"Is this still about your metaphor the other day?" The young man asked, desperately searching for something that could explain his father's mood. "Because if it is, you know I'm fine now, I don't have the feeling that I'm being watched anymore. You know, I'm sure that was just from the pressure of the finals." He knew he was rambling but he couldn't stop himself, he had to figure out the reason for his father's behavior.

""Char..." Alan tried to stop the rapid flow of words but was unsuccessful.

"If its Don's case...well, yes, this one is a bad one, but I'm sure we'll have it figured out soon, we just have to find the commonality between the crimes and then we'll be able to stop this person."

Alan placed a hand on his son's forearm to get his attention.

"Charlie stop...look, I don't know…..it's….I just…" He paused at the distressed look in his son's eyes and backpedaled. How could he tell him that he still had this feeling of losing one of them when he had absolutely nothing to base it on. "I think I'm just missing your mother, that's all."

Charlie suddenly felt moisture at the corners of his own eyes and he lowered his gaze to the koi pond below him as he whispered. "I still miss her too."

He raised his head again and caught his father's eye but found himself at a loss for words so he opted for a change of subject matter; he offered the warm cup of coffee to him.

"Ah….Dad, I brought you another cup of coffee." Shrugging his shoulders he added. "I thought maybe yours had gone cold."

"That was very thoughtful Charlie, thank you." Alan took a sip and seemed to come back to himself and smiled. "That does hit the spot."

Charlie lowered his eyes to his own cup. "Have you been out here very long?"

Alan huffed. "Long enough for my coffee to go cold." He reached over and patted his son's knee. "I'm okay Charlie, just getting soft in my old age, that's all."

Charlie's head came back up and he looked at Alan with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

"You….getting soft, never going to happen." He grinned as he added. "Your much to ornery for that."

"Yes, well, someone's got to keep you boys in line." His father muttered but now his eyes were twinkling too and his lips had turned upward in a smile as he rose from the bench and stretched.

Charlie rose as well and glanced sideways at his father. His mood appeared to be improving, his features didn't seem to be as solemn and drawn as they were a few moments before.

"Come on, let's go have some breakfast." Alan paused. "Do you have to rush off this morning?"

Charlie grinned at his Dad. "No, I can take my time. All I have to do is finish grading some tests and go downtown to the FBI office when Don calls. He's hoping to have more data for me today. What about you….what are you going to do today?"

"It's my day to help out at the homeless shelter, but that's not until later." He wrapped an arm around his son's shoulders as they walked back to the kitchen. "So, what's it going to be... scrambled eggs or pancakes?"

"Scrambled eggs." Charlie said without hesitation as the kitchen door closed behind them.

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9:00 a.m.

Megan pulled off her glasses and rubbed at her eyes; computers were great tools but they did make your eyes tired after prolonged use.

"Nothing." She muttered disgustedly as she reached for her coffee cup. She brought the cup to her lips and grumbled again. "Empty." She stood up intending to head for the break room for a refill but as she passed by Don's desk his phone rang. The expression on his face brought her to a stop and she sat down on the corner of his desk to listen to his side of the conversation.

"Eppes." His eyebrows rose as he listened and he looked around, making eye contact with his team. Colby and David immediately joined Megan at his desk.

"An anonymous tip…..where?" He grabbed a pen and began to scribble furiously on a notepad. "Hold on a second." Don shoved the pad toward Megan. "Get the bomb squad over to this address asap. I have a strong hunch that our friend is playing games with us again."

Megan grabbed the pad and rushed back to her desk.

Don resumed his conversation. "Okay, get a couple of patrol cars out there and lock it down. Do not go in until we get there, is that understood... we're on our way." He jumped up from his chair and grabbed his jacket just as Megan re-joined the group.

"That was LAPD. They received an anonymous tip on the location of the armored truck. It's at a port warehouse in San Pedro."

They rushed for the elevator and pressed the button. As the door opened Patrick O'Connell started to step out only to be pushed back again by the team. They filled him in on the way down.

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9:00 a.m.

Charlie was sitting at his desk trying to get through the remaining stacks of his student's finals. Only a few more left to grade and he would have the afternoon free. He only hoped that Amita was doing as well. They had plans to go hiking that evening and he had a very important question to ask her. A question that he had intended to ask her over a year ago but he had been blindsided by an event that had caused him to put it off until now.

Sighing, he opened his bag and took out the little velvet black box that he had kept hidden from her for so long. He took a deep breath and opened it. The ring glittered in the sunlight and he hoped it would shine just as brightly in the moonlight, just like it did in his dreams.

With that in mind, he picked up his phone and hit the speed dial.

"Hi Charlie." she answered. "Have you finished grading all of the tests?"

"Not quite, I have a few more to go, how about you?" he asked hopefully.

She let out a groan. "Millie stopped by to discuss a new class for next semester and she just left, so I'm not going to finish as early as I hoped."

His heart began to sink. "So what time do you think you'll be finished? I could pack us a dinner and we can have a picnic on the trail. I know a beautiful site overlooking LA and tonight there is a full moon, so we'll have plenty of light."

"That sounds lovely. I should finish up here by four o'clock. That's not too late, is it?"

"No, actually, that will work out perfectly. Don said he would call this morning and let me know if he collected any more data. If he has, I can run by his office, incorporate the data, and then head home and work on our dinner."

"Okay, I'll meet you at your place by four-thirty and we can be on our way."

"It's a date, I'll see you later." He closed his phone and with a new found energy he flipped over the next test and his red marker positively flew across the pages.

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9"30 a.m.

Don switched on his lights and merged onto the busy street. At the first traffic light he made a right turn and headed for the 110 freeway with David and Colby following closely behind him.

Once again, O'Connell was riding with Don and Megan.

"Do you have more details on the missing armored car?" The Irishman asked from the back seat.

"Yeah, it's not missing anymore." Don sarcastically replied as he adjusted his earpiece.

"David, Colby are you guys listening?"

They had changed into tactical gear before leaving headquarters. Don wasn't going to take any chances this time.

"We hear you Don." Colby responded while David drove . "Go ahead."

"This is all we know. At 8:00 a.m. this morning the LAPD received an anonymous tip that the armored truck was sitting in a port side warehouse in San Pedro. LAPD checked it out and found a note addressed to us taped to the door. They are securing the area but have not gone inside the building."

Don glanced at Megan. "Do you have anything to add?"

"Only that the bomb squad is being deployed to the area." She glanced at her watch. "They should get there around the same time that we do."

"So you think that this could be another set up?" O'Connell posed the question.

"'Seems pretty clear to me Patrick, especially with the note addressed to us." His eyes met the Irishman's in the rear view mirror. "That's why we are going to let the bomb squad check things out first."

David's voice echoed over the radio. "So how do you want to handle this?"

"We'll check out the perimeter first, see if we can find anyone that might be watching the area; look for people sitting in cars or maybe in boats out in the bay."

The entrance to the I-110 S freeway was coming up so Don checked his side-view mirror and maneuvered the SUV into the left lane and was soon merging onto the highway.

The Irishman leaned forward from the back seat. "You know, this guy has to know that we would be suspicious about the call and take precautions."

"Yeah, I know." Once again Don glanced into the rear view mirror and made eye contact with Patrick. "But we aren't going to take any unnecessary chances either."

O'Connell nodded thoughtfully and looked away. Don's eyes flickered back to the mirror again but the Irishman continued to look out of the side window. He wasn't quite sure what he had seen in the man's eyes, fear or excitement?

He left the highway and took the Harbor Freeway South heading for a thin strip of land called the Harbor Gateway. In the distance Don could see the Vincent Thomas Bridge, a 1,500 ft long suspension bridge linking San Pedro with Terminal Island. Twenty minutes later they passed by The Angel's Gate Lighthouse. The lighthouse had stood at the entrance to the port since 1913. Briefly, he thought how sad it would be if their bomber started targeting the historical landmarks in the area. The warehouse they were headed for was historical in itself. It was built in 1917 and was officially listed in the National Register. The port warehouse was built on a strip of land that was surrounded on three sides by the pacific. The intracoastal waterway ran on the right side of the structure and eventually connected to the Port of Los Angeles.

Focusing back on the case, Don came to a slow stop at the main entrance to the facility. Two LAPD squad cars were parked there and an officer came over to the window and Don identified himself and his team.

"Is everyone out?"

"Yes, sir." He pointed to a large complex on the street they had just left. "We put them all in the convention center, figured it would be far enough away if a blast occurred and large enough to keep them all together if you wanted to talk to them."

"Good thinking. Did you spot the truck?" He asked as he pulled a stick of gum from his pocket and popped it into his mouth.

The officer turned and pointed at one of the large bay doors of the warehouse. "We looked through the windows and saw it sitting in the last storage area. It's parked right in the middle of the floor. It's looks like they abandoned it and there's a note taped to the door addressed to you guys. We didn't touch anything, it's still there."

Don pulled down his sunglasses and looked over them at the officer. "No sign of the guards?"

The man shook his head. "Nothing, we called out but no one responded."

"Okay." He pushed his glasses back up. "Were going to have a look around." As he pulled ahead he called out of the window. "The bomb squad should be here any minute now."

The team split up, each taking a side of the building and slowly drove alongside of it until they came to the water's edge.

Don turned his SUV around and drove back toward the entrance. He stopped his vehicle in front of the door and the agents cautiously walked up to the warehouse. The note was in a clear plastic bag and taped to the outside of one of the windows. Despite the tape, it was seriously in danger of blowing away with the continuous ocean breeze. The agent removed a glove from his pocket and pulled the note from the door. It was just like the others, addressed to his team with a line of numbers written on it. He passed it over to Megan and removed his sunglasses so he could peer through the small window in the door.

"Colby, you see anything?" He asked as the other two agents joined them.

"Nothing but a few fishing boats, how about you?"

"Same here."

They all took a turn looking through the window. It was just as the officer had said, the truck was sitting in the middle of a large open area. Stacks of crates and barrels ran along the sides of the room and industrial sized lights hung down from the ceiling.

Don and the agents turned for their cars but O'Connell just stood by the door and called out. "Aren't we going to go in?"

Don stopped as he was about to get into his SUV. "No, the bomb squad will get that honor. Are you coming?"

With one glance back at the building, the Irishman turned away and hurried to the car.

They pulled back to the parking area and just as they were getting out of their cars the bomb squad arrived in a flurry of vehicles, immediately followed by two San Pedro fire engines and multiple emergency personnel.

Don watched in dismay as a news helicopter flew over the site. "They must have followed the bomb squad."

"Yeah, probably heard them over the radio." She flipped open her cell phone and hit her speed dial for headquarters. "This is Agent Reeves, my team is at port warehouse #1 in San Pedro, possible bomb threat. There's a Channel 69 News chopper flying above us. You need to warn them to stay at a safe distance. Thanks." She closed her phone and glanced at the SAC. "Dispatch is going to take care of it Don."

They stepped back and watched as the squad moved in and set up their equipment. The command center pulled ahead of them and came to a stop a safe distance from the bay door. Another SUV pulled alongside of it containing two bomb sniffing dogs and their handlers. The handlers immediately headed for the warehouse and released the dogs as they approached the bay door.

Two more vans pulled up and six men climbed out of one of them. Two of the men began to dress in protective clothing, covering themselves completely in padded clothing and head gear.

The other van contained a hydraulic lift and the agents watched as a hazardous-duty mobile robot was lowered to the ground. Equipped with a two-way audio system and motorized surveillance camera the robot would be the first to enter the warehouse. The robot's track design allowed it to move easily and it's head mounted video display would show them exactly what they would have to face once the door to the warehouse was opened. At 17.5 inches wide, the robot was narrow enough to enter through the door without opening it completely if it became necessary. Standing at 44 inches high and 52 inches long and weighing 350 pounds, the little robot had on more than one occasion saved the lives of many of the men that worked in the bomb squad.

The Lieutenant in charge of the bomb squad motioned for Don and his team to join him at the mobile command center.

Don removed his sunglasses and hooked them over his vest. "Jacob."

"I should have known that you'd be here Don." He said stretching out his hand to the agent. "Does this have anything to do with the warehouse explosion last Friday?"

Don shook his hand and shrugged. "There's a strong possibility."

Suddenly from around the side of the building a forklift appeared carrying a number of barrels.

Don's team and the LAPD officer's immediately went into action. The forklift was surrounded within minutes by men with guns pulled and aimed at the driver. The man was wearing protective ear gear and quickly took it off when he found himself surrounded by a multitude of men, all of them shouting and pointing guns at him.

Don stood directly in front of him. "Freeze! FBI! Put your hands up where I can see them!

The man put his hands up over his head without remembering to turn off the forklift and he drifted within 30 feet of the command center before realizing that he was still moving. Colby reached over him and turned off the ignition as he pulled the man out of the vehicle. He forced him to turn around and face the forklift, pushing him against it while he searched the man for weapons.

"What's going on here?" He asked looking around, his eyes grew wider as Colby turned him back around again to face the agents. "I didn't do nothing."

"He's clean Don." Colby announced and stepped back from the man.

"Special Agent Don Eppes, FBI." The agent flashed his badge and pointed at the barrels. "What's your name and what do you have in those barrels?"

"What's the FBI doing here?'

"Just answer my question." Don demanded.

"Ah…sure. My name is Randall Bailey and I work here, I'm part of the maintenance crew. There's oil in the barrels and I'm supposed to take them to that warehouse over there." he pointed toward the doors where the dogs were sniffing.

David picked up a clip board from the forklift and read the manifest. He handed it to Don. "The manifest confirms his statement."

"What are you doing here, why didn't you evacuate with the others?" Don asked as he returned his gun to the holster on his vest.

The man appeared a little overwhelmed . "Evacuate…..I didn't hear anything about an evacuation. Why do we need to evacuate?"

"Sir, you can't stay here. There's a chance that a bomb may be in the warehouse."

Bailey's eyes widened and he started to panic. "Bomb….oh my God….I gotta get out of here!"

"Sir, calm down. One of these officers will take you to a safe place."

An officer came over to retrieve the man but Don stopped him with another question.

"Do you have a key to that door?" he asked pointing to the bay door.

I…ah…yes….I mean no, not a key, but a remote."

"Sir, there's a chance there could be a bomb in there. Do you have the remote?"

The man's eyes widened at Don's words. "Sure, it's on my key ring…in the fork lift."

He turned away and grabbed the key from the ignition. "Here…take it." he practically shoved the keys into Don's hand.

"Your going to have to leave the area until it's been cleared. Understand?"

The workman nodded his head furiously. "Yes…yes sir."

Don turned to the officer. "Get his address and phone number, then get him out of here."

"Yes, sir." The officer responded as he took the man by the elbow and lead him to his car.

The two dogs had been pacing back and forth in front of the doors with their handlers when suddenly they both sat back on their haunches and just stared at the door.

Don and his team stepped over to the command center. The agent squinted toward the warehouse. "What's up?" he asked with a nod toward the bay door.

"The dogs have definitely found something. We're going to send in the robot and get a good look around."

Don held out his hand. "I've got the remote, let me know when your ready."

Jacob nodded and spoke into his radio. "Sam, get Haz ready to go."

Colby looked at him with a bemused expression on his face. "Haz?" he repeated.

The lieutenant grinned. "Yeah, we gave it a nick name, it's a lot easier than saying " hazardous-duty mobile robot" all the time."

Colby just nodded his head and returned the grin but it quickly faded as the robot approached the door and Don pressed the button on the remote.

The door slid upward and everyone waited with bated breath to see if opening the door was going to trigger an explosion.

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10:30 a.m.

Wayne Johnson stood at the bow of the little fishing boat with his binoculars trained on the activity at the dockside warehouse. There would be no mistakes made this time because he intended to handle it himself.

"Heads up guys, it's almost time for the party to start." he ordered his companions.

The other two men in the boat continued to appear as if they were fishing. They began to slowly pull in the large net that they had cast into the water. It was imperative that if anyone did remember them, it would be just as an average looking fishing boat and nothing more.

Harold Jeffreys, an African American in his early forties, glanced at his boss while he tugged at the net. " Can you see Paul?"

Wayne re-focused the binoculars. "Yeah, he's talking to tEppes ." He stopped and shared a laugh with his men. "You gotta love the irony here, the bomber talking to the FBI." he laughed even harder. "Offering to help and at the same time planting the bomb that will finally get rid of those pesky agents, not to mention, the LA bomb squad and about a dozen firemen."

"Isn't it risky though, with the dogs there and all. I mean they could find the bomb, couldn't they?"

"It's possible, but they're focused on the other bomb, they won't be looking for anymore explosives until it's too late." Wayne suddenly realized that his men were just standing around talking to him. "Hey, your supposed to be fishing, remember?"

He continued to watch the activity on the dock. The fire dept had set up their hoses and appeared to be ready for the explosion. Wayne was watching the robot rolling toward the wharehouse door when his phone rang.

He flipped it open, listened for a few seconds and answered. "Right Paul, meet us at the rendzevous site."

He closed his cell and turned back to his men. "He's placed the bomb in one of the barrels on that lift, near the command center. Let's move in, I have to make certain that all of the agents are there."

Once the net was secured, Wayne started up the engine and moved the boat closer to the dock. He had to get closer in order to detonate the bomb, a few more feet and he would be within range. He watched as the agents gathered around the command center and his face broke into a grin mentally patting himself on the back. The Fed's were so focused on the warehouse that they would truly never know what hit them. The bomb in the building was just a diversion, something to keep them focused on. The agents were the real target.

He brought the boat to a stand still and his men cast the net back into the water, pretending to watch for fish.

Wayne looked through the binoculars and scanned for the agents. Eppes, Reeves, Sinclair and Granger, were all standing between the forklift and the mobile command center.

He removed the detonator from a side table and a smile played across his face as his finger hovered above the button.


	14. Chapter 14

-1Obsession-21

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: A special thanks to all of you that take the time to review.

**Sun Tzu The Art of War**

**The General who wins the battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle.**

Thursday

10:45 a.m.

Chapter 14

The bay door to warehouse #1 was completely open now and "Haz" the "hazardous-duty mobile robot" had entered the area and was approaching the armored truck. Despite the multitude of people and equipment in the parking area outside of the warehouse, the only sounds that could be heard were the mechanized noises coming from the robot as it rolled toward the truck.

Don and his team stood at the rear of the command center watching the live video feed from the robot. It slowly circled the truck, capturing every angle for the men to study, finally coming to a standstill at the rear of the truck. The robot's arm lengthened and it was lowered until it hovered only a few inches off of the floor. Slowly the arm advanced and began to scan the undercarriage of the truck . Five minutes later it was moving toward the front of the vehicle to repeat the process. This time it was only a few seconds before the robot's arm came to a standstill.

"Lieutenant, we've got something" Darren Latimer had been with the bomb squad for eight years and was a pro at handling the robot. He operated it from the cab of the mobile command center. "I'll try and get a better picture of it."

He maneuvered the robot's arm around until the camera could capture the object from a different angle. The small black box containing wires and explosives was clearly visible now. The red bulb on the box was still unlit and that gave them time to disarm it. How much time though, was anyone's guess.

The bomb squad went into action. The two men wearing the protective suits grabbed their gear and headed for the truck to disarm the bomb. A smaller van was driven into the warehouse and parked alongside of the armored vehicle. Members of the bomb squad opened the rear door revealing a large concrete container. If the team couldn't disarm the bomb it would be placed into the container and either transported to a safe area or detonated inside the container. That decision rested with the two men who at that very moment were trying to disarm the bomb.

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10:45 a.m..

Just as Wayne started to press the button to detonate the bomb that was hidden in the barrel his cell phone rang.

"_Not now." _he thought irritably but he quickly glanced around for the phone. He paled a little when he realized it was the phone that Bashere had given him. "_Better answer this." _he thought again as he reluctantly hit the button.

"I was just going to the detonate the explosive. How the hell do you expect me to do the job if you ……..' he started to say in defense, but the caller cut him off.

"Don't set it off! I've changed my mind!" Bashere's frantic voice called out over the phone.

"What!?" Johnson exclaimed in surprise. "Who is this?" This couldn't be Bashere, the man never showed any feelings at all and this voice was full of desperation.

"You know dam well who this is and I'll say it again, DO NOT SET OFF THAT BOMB!!

Wayne winced at the volume of the voice and pulled the phone away from his ear until the man had finished yelling. When he was convinced that Bashere had finally stopped screaming he put the phone back to his ear and tried to reason with the enraged man.

"We've come too far, you can't stop it now." He set down the remote and picked up the binoculars….yes, the agents were still in the same position. "Besides, I thought you wanted them dead."

"I did, but I've discovered a better use for them and now I want them alive."

"Are you crazy? I can't leave the bomb unexploded, they might be able to trace it." he replied angrily.

"Then I suggest that you make certain that the police cannot trace it back to you." Bashere's voice had returned to the cold, unemotional tone that Johnson had become accustomed too; the voice that always made him shudder.

Wayne was silent, weighing his options. There was a slight chance that the police might be able to trace the explosives back to Paul, and then of course, back to him. If he detonated it, however, then all of the evidence would be destroyed. His hand wavered over the detonation button but he halted once again as the cold voice uttered.

"Do not cross me on this Johnson. If you set off that explosive and kill them, I promise you, that I will track you down and kill you myself. Do you understand?"

The bomber rubbed his temple in frustration. There was no doubt in his mind that Bashere would follow through with his threat.

"Okay, okay. Whatever you say."

"Excellent." the caller responded. " I grow bored with this charade and I am eager to leave this town. Do the last job tonight and we'll settle up tomorrow morning." There was pause and then. "Do you have any questions?"

"Are you sure you're not going to change your mind on that job too? " He asked , unable to hide the contempt and anger in his voice.

"I warn you Mr. Johnson, don't test my patience!" Bashere snarled over the phone. "Can you finish the job or do I need to find someone else?"

"It's not a problem…. I'll take care of it." he answered as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Good, I'll be in touch."

The line disconnected and Johnson closed the phone angrily as he shoved it into his pocket. "That dam son of a bitch!" He yelled in frustration, kicking at the side of the boat. "That's the last time we work for a Frenchman." he muttered as he paced around the small cabin.

Jeffrey's and Martinson dropped the net and hurried toward the cabin. After exchanging an anxious look Martinson asked. "What's going on? Why haven't you set off the bomb.?"

Angrily Wayne turned to his partners. "Bashere changed his mind, the s.o.b. wants them alive now."

"Why?" Jeffrey's took a step back from his partner surprised by the menacing look that his partner had given him.

"He didn't exactly tell me Harold. He just informed me that I would be next if I blew them up and since I truly believe that the man would kill me, we are leaving." Johnson glowered at his partner. "Now, if you two don't mind we need to get out of here…and hurry!"

His partners were through asking questions and practically ran to the deck and started hauling in the net. Johnson didn't need to yell at them but he needed to release some steam. If he couldn't take it out on Bashere, then he would take it out on them.

"We need to get out of here….hurry…get that net back in the boat!"

He picked up the binoculars and observed the dock. Apparently during his conversation with the Frenchman the police had discovered the bomb in the barrel. The forklift was now standing alone. All of the vehicles had been pulled back and the dogs were sniffing around the barrel.

"Dam!" he said heatedly. "They've found the bomb!"

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12:00 p.m.

It had taken the bomb squad another hour to disarm the second bomb and do a complete search of the warehouse for more explosives. Don and his team had to wait outside until the area had been cleared by them. Finally , the squad completed it's search and began to pack up their gear and head back to LA.

Don watched as the vehicles exited the parking lot and spotted the coroner's vans as they left the highway and approached the warehouse. The bomb squad team had searched the vehicle after disarming the bomb attached to the truck. They had been looking for more explosives but found the guard's bodies instead.

The SAC turned to his team. "Come on guys, let's get a quick look around before the coroner gets here." Once again he pulled a pair of plastic gloves from his pocket and put them on.

The rear door of the truck was ajar so Don slowly opened it the rest of the way. The area was empty except for the bodies of the guards. He climbed in to take a closer look but turned back to offer Megan a hand as she climbed up. Together they bent to examine the bodies. They couldn't really move anything until the coroner and forensics teams were finished, but they were able to get a good look at everything.

Don sighed and walked back to the edge of the truck just as the coroner and his team appeared at the entrance to the warehouse.

"Heads up Megan, it's time for us to get out of here." and true to his words he jumped down from the truck and offered another hand as she climbed down.

"Thanks." she grunted as her feet hit the cement.

Don nodded a greeting to the coroner and stepped out of his way as he and Megan made their way to the front of the vehicle to join David and Colby.

"Did you find anything?" Don asked as he came to a stop beside of them.

David shook his head. "Nothing. It looks like they cleaned it up pretty good."

"What about the guards?" Colby asked.

Don grimly answered. "One shot to the back of the head, they didn't have a chance."

"This guy is really racking up a lot of bodies." muttered Colby.

"Yeah, he sure doesn't have a problem with killing people." David agreed, watching as the first body was carried out and placed in a body bag.

"Which is why this bomb thing doesn't make any sense." Don scrubbed his hand through his hair in frustration. "Think about it….he had us right where he wanted us. All he had to do was detonate that bomb in the barrel and we'd all be dead right now; no way any of us would have gotten away from that explosion."

"That's what I would like to know." David commented. "Not that I'm complaining, you understand."

"What do you think Megan?"

She pulled her hair back and tucked it behind her ear. "What do I think? I think were dealing with a certified psychopath., that's what I think and I think were dam lucky that he changed his mind . " she paused and make eye contact with each of them. "…..but having said that, I've got to believe that he has something else in mind."

"Yeah…well that's not hard to believe." Don put on his sunglasses and walked back out into the sunlight. He looked around at the remaining personnel and asked over his shoulder. "Where's O'Connell, has anyone seen him?

The rest of the team joined him outside and they started walking toward their vehicles.

"Not since the dogs discovered the bomb in the barrel?' Colby commented thoughtfully.

Don pushed a button on his radio. "O'Connell, come in."

He shared a look with his team when he didn't get an answer right away.

"Patrick, what's your location?" Still no answer. "Okay, let's split up. Megan and I will go this way, you guys ……."

"I'm right here, Don." Patrick O'Connell suddenly appeared at his elbow.

"Where have you been and why didn't you answer when I called.?" Don pulled down his sunglasses and stared at him.

The Irishman held out his radio. "Sorry, I dropped it, I believe it's broken."

Don glanced at the pieces and asked. "That doesn't explain where you've been."

"Well…ah…actually I had to answer a phone call. My boss called, it seems my mother was rushed to the hospital this morning so I'm going to leave on the first flight back." He turned and pointed to a taxi cab as it pulled into the parking lot. "I've already called a cab, I'll have just enough time to get back to the hotel and get my things and then head for the airport. " He glanced nervously at the agents and added. " I was able to get a four o'clock flight."

"I'm sorry to hear about your Mother, I hope she'll be okay." Don offered his hand. "I'll explain everything to the AD."

The Irishman shook each of the agent's hands and turned to leave, hesitating momentarily he said. " I'm sorry, I wish I could stay and help you catch this guy." He turned to go and stopped again. "Don, would you mind telling Charlie that I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to say goodbye."

"Sure thing, Patrick. Have a safe flight." Don agreed

They watched in silence as the Irishman headed for the cab.

Don switched back to professional and faced his team. "David , I want you and Colby to locate our forklift operator and give him a ride downtown. In the meantime, Megan and I will head back and give Charlie a call." He pulled the note from his pocket, still in the plastic bag. "Hopefully, this will give us a little more to go on."

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2:00 p.m.

Charlie parked his Prius and headed into the FBI building. His progress was slowed down considerably however, as he headed for the metal detector. There were a number of people ahead of him and it was taking all of his patience to wait until his turn. Finally, he went through and clipped his badge on his jacket pocket. By the time he got up to Don's office, his patience had just about run out.

He spotted the team standing in front of the boards and hurried over to join them

"Did you get another set of numbers?" he asked breathlessly.

Don turned an nodded a greeting. "Hey, Charlie. We sure did. They're over there on the board."

The young professor put down his laptop and absently grabbed a marker on his way over. He perused the paper with the numbers and then immediately wrote them on a board.

13 25 1 6 18 15 16 5 18 20 25 23 8 1 20 9

He assigned each of the numbers a letter and then moved them around, then went to the board that had the partial message written on it. He added "my property what I" to the end of the previous message. The message now read:

THE LAPD AND FBI WILL PAY FOR THEIR IMPUDENCE

I TAKE BACK MY PROPERTY

WHAT I

Don rubbed his chin as he reread the message. "Well, obviously he hasn't finished yet."

Megan handed Charlie a folder. "This is our latest data, everything that we have from the armored car heist."

Charlie opened it and quickly studied it. "This won't take long to input, your tech's will be able to do it here, I'll just give them the algorithm to use." He paused a moment as he continued to read and then asked. "What's the Asset Forfeiture Fund?"

Megan answered his question. "It's the U.S Treasury Asset Forfeiture Fund. It's a fund set up by the treasury dept to help support continued law enforcement efforts and provide restitution to crime victims."

"That was the money in the armored truck?" He glanced at his watch and sat down to review the data. "So where does it come from, the money I mean?"

David took up the explanation. "The money comes from the sale of confiscated real property. Houses, cars, boats, stuff like that. Anything that has value and is owned by a convicted criminal"

Charlie eyes widened and he rose from his seat. "That's it! Don, that's what the message is referring too." Excitedly, he rushed over to the board. "I take back my property" he read the words aloud. "That's exactly what he has been doing, he's taking back the money that was made from the sale of his property." He paced rapidly between the board and the desk. " Can you get a me a list of the property that was sold for that particular money shipment. I can narrow my search by running through that list. "

He mumbled to himself for a moment before turning and waving his arms excitedly at his brother. " This could be our "hidden set" but I won't know for sure until the algorithm runs through the new data."

"We'll get it for you Charlie." Don answered and studied the message again. "Okay, so let's run through what we have." He stuck his hands in his back pockets and turned to face his team.

"The first line says that he is going to make the FBI and LAPD pay for our impudence."

Megan pulled herself up on one of the desks and crossed her legs. "Impudence means insolent, presumptuous, brazen…." she motioned with her hands as she talked out the meaning of the word. "rude, disrespectful, audacious…." Her voice trailed off and she lowered her head thoughtfully. Suddenly she pushed herself from the desk and began to pace around the room excitedly. "Audacious…that's it!" She beamed at them but when she saw the blank looks staring back at her , she hastily explained. "Don't you see, we had the audacity to stop him and take away his property. This man won't be satisfied until he shows us that he is smarter than we are." She pointed to the notes. "That's why he's taunting us, to show us that he can beat us even if he leaves us a few clues."

Don huffed. "Killing police officers and FBI agents is a little extreme to prove that point, don't you think?"

Megan turned around and came over to stand beside Don. "For a sane person, yes, but Don were not dealing with a sane person here. This man believes he has to teach us a lesson and he's not above killing us to get his point across."

Don nodded his head. "Okay. Let's move to the next line. I take back my property. The only property so far has been the yacht, and he didn't take it back, he destroyed it."

"As I said before, I believe he is a certified psychopath. He's very obsessive with his property and if he can't have it, then no one will be allowed to have it. If it's alive, he'll kill it, if it's an object, he'll destroy it and he will take extreme measures to see that it's done. This man does not react to a sense of right or wrong…. it's his way or no way."

Don rubbed at his forehead, he could feel a headache coming on. He sighed , this just kept getting better and better; a madman on the loose and they didn't have a clue who he was or where to find him.

"Not to change the subject but exactly how do these four crimes connect?" Colby asked. "I mean, we have a bank robbery and an explosion that kills four people. A drug bust and then he tries to take us out with an explosion." he pointed to the picture of the yacht. "A yacht gets blown up and an armored car is hijacked. The guards are killed and we are in place again but he doesn't detonate the bomb." the young agent leaned back against a desk. "I don't get it."

Don silently cursed as he saw Charlie's face pale at Colby's statement. He had decided to keep that bit of information from his brother.

Charlie stepped forward. "You were almost blown up by another bomb today?"

Don quickly answered. "Not this time, Buddy. We had the bomb squad go in first"

"If the yacht was sold and the money was in the armored car, then we have our connection for those two crimes." David interrupted, which earned him a thankful look from Don. "But I don't see the connection between the bank robbery and the drug bust."

Megan walked over to her desk and sorted through some file folders. " I had the armored security company send over the files of yesterdays money hand-off, but I haven't had a chance to look at it yet" She put her glasses on and started flipping through the folder.

Don turned his attention back to his brother who was still staring at him with concern in his eyes. He sighed inwardly, the last thing he needed was for Charlie to let his father know about their close call so he decided to change the subject.

"So, are you finished for the summer?"

Surprised by the question, Charlie's eyebrows rose. "Pretty much, I have a meeting tomorrow with the budget committee for next year's classes, but after that I can close my office for the summer and move on to other things."

Don leaned back against the desk. "Those other things wouldn't include a certain raven-haired female Professor, would it?"

Charlie blushed and looked away but was grinning when he looked back at his brother. "Maybe."

Don returned his grin. "Uh, huh."

"Hey guys, listen to this!" Megan exclaimed as she joined them with the folder. "The Dept of Treasury delegated the M & K Technical Services Co as the prime contractor responsible for the storage, maintenance and sale of seized and forfeited real properties. The main office is on the East Coast, but guess where the Los Angeles Branch office is located." She looked up grinning like a Cheshire cat. "The National Bank of Los Angeles, specifically the Ventura Branch."

Don's jaw dropped. "So the robbery was just a ruse, what they were really after was the date and time of the forfeited funds shipment. That's why they bombed that office, to hide the fact that the computer files were accessed."

"Right, that connects the Ventura Bank robbery and the armored car heist. How much do you want to bet that he owned a yacht that was confiscated and sold and that the money from that sale was on this particular truck?"

"No bet." Don retorted.

"Look, get me that list and I can narrow down your suspects and maybe you can catch him before he strikes again." Charlie said pointing to the message. "He hasn't finished yet, the message is still incomplete."

Don pointed toward the picture of the blown-up yacht. "David, did you get the name of the previous owner yet?"

David pulled a small notebook from his pocket and flipped through a few pages before answering. "Not yet, apparently the local records were lost in a fire." He paused and looked up at Don. "They didn't say how the fire started but I'm betting that it wasn't accidental."

"Yeah, I bet Charlie wouldn't even give you odds on that one." Colby sarcastically remarked. He met the younger man's eye. "Right, Charlie."

Charlie had a wry expression on his face as he answered. "You already know what I think about random occurrences, Colby."

Colby snickered and glanced at his partner. "Told you so."

Don turned the discussion back to the case. "Colby where are we with the bomb squad?'

"They've turned the working parts over to the forensics guys " He said as he crossed his arms. "Maybe we'll get lucky and get some prints this time."

"What happened to our forklift driver?"

David shrugged his shoulders. "He didn't hang around. LAPD is checking out his address."

Charlie closed the folder and walked around the table to stand beside Don and the other agents.

"Hey, where's Patrick?"

"He's gone, got called back to Ireland. He said to tell you good-by and thanks for your help." his brother informed him.

"Oh." he responded in a surprised voice. "That was pretty sudden wasn't it?"

"Yeah, well, it was a family emergency. He had to return right away, he didn't have much choice." Don was just turning to ask Colby a question when Charlie caught his attention.

His younger brother had glanced as his watch and suddenly hurried over to the desk where he had been sitting. He quickly closed his laptop and then stuffed it into his bag.

"Hey Chuck, what's the hurry? I thought you were finished for the summer."

"Oh, I am… but this is personal." His face reddened as he hung his bag on his shoulder and turned to leave. "Call me when you get that list and I'll come over and show Agent Stendhauser how to run the algorithm.

"See you later bro." he called back over his shoulder and hurried out of the room before Don had a chance to answer.

Don watched with amusement as Charlie almost ran into the door during his hasty departure and made a dash for the elevator. The elevator door closed and as his brother left his sight Don started to get an uneasy feeling.

"David, do me a favor. When you get in touch with that company, see if you can find out what happened to Bashere's yacht." His eyes met those of his friend and partner.

"Not a problem." David responded thoughtfully.


	15. Chapter 15

-1Obsession-23

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: I appreciate your reviews. Thank you.

**Sun Tsu**

**When near, appear far**

Chapter 15

Thursday

6:50 p.m.

"You were right, this view is absolutely breathtaking."

Amita hooked an arm around Charlie's waist and he wrapped an arm across her shoulders while they stood silently for a moment just looking down into the valley. A gentle breeze swirled around them as the sun sank lower in the sky.

The green valley below and the picture perfect blue sky above gave them a sense of euphoria, and both were reluctant to end the moment.

Hunger, however, finally won out and they removed their backpacks. They had gotten a later start than expected and the location that Charlie had in mind had taken them a good forty-five minutes to hike too and now they were both really hungry.

Charlie pulled a thin blanket from his backpack and spread it out next to a large boulder. They sat down, side by side and leaned against the boulder using it for a backrest. Charlie opened a small, plastic cooler that he had strapped to his back pack and removed some sandwiches and chips. He handed Amita one of them and grabbed the other for himself. He was on his second bite before he realized that he had forgotten to give each of them a bottled water. Once again he dug into the cooler and gave one to Amita and just as quickly opened his own and took a long drink.

"That tasted so good Charlie, I didn't realize how hungry I was." Amita commented as she swallowed her last bite.

"Me too." he agreed as he took his last bite. "Are you ready for desert?

She looked over and smiled. "You brought desert too? Wow, you were busy this afternoon."

Grinning and nodding his head he sorted through his backpack

"Ta dah!" he said, flourishing a small bag of chocolate chip cookies. "I've been practicing on my recipe. Someone once told me that I needed more chips in my cookies, so I added a few more." He teased as he handed her the bag. "Here, taste one and tell me what you think.?"

She took a bite and rolled her eyes at him. "Hmmm….these are absolutely delicious"

He grinned at her. "I think your exaggerating a little bit., but it's appreciated." He took one for himself and settled back against the rock, content for the moment to munch on the cookies and have her beside of him.

The view was incredible, and Charlie wasn't thinking about the valley below them. This felt like déjà vu to him; he had dreamed about this so many times and he knew his heart would break if it didn't end like his dreams always ended. His eyes focused on the woman sitting next to him and he scooted closer to her so he could put his arm around her and pull her closer to his body. He bent his head down and tilted hers upward so that he could press his lips against hers.

Her arms encircled him as she leaned into his kiss. "That was nice." she said quietly and looked into his eyes.

His soft, sensuous brown eyes gazed back at her and this time she initiated the kiss. After several long kisses, she sighed and laid her head on his shoulder and they sat that way as the sun set, content just to be in each other's arms.

The stars came out and the moon lit up the valley and the surrounding area as Charlie rehearsed in his mind what he intended to say. "_What if she says no?"_ he thought. _I __can't imagine my life without her. What if she doesn't feel the same way? Maybe I should run some more calculations."_ And then just as quickly his doubts left him and he took a deep breath_. "It' now or never_."

"Amita, are you awake?" the young man softly inquired.

"Yes, Charlie, it's just so nice to be sitting here with you.." she quietly responded.

He smiled and took her hand in his; he held her hand palm up and pressed it against his lips, and a smile spread across her face. As he lowered her hand he placed something in it and held it closed.

Puzzled she looked down at her hand but before she could open it, Charlie cupped her chin and turned her face toward his.

"Amita, will you marry me?" he asked her breathlessly as he watched her face closely.

Surprise crossed her features and then her face just lit up and she grabbed his head between her hands and began passionately kissing him. When he was finally able to catch his breath, he asked her laughingly, "Can I take that as a yes?"

"Oh, Charlie! Yes, yes, yes." she answered excitedly.

"You can open your hand now." he said before giving her another kiss. " I love you, Amita."

"I love you so much." she whispered and then opened her hand. Her eyes widened at the sight of the ring and she looked back at him. "Charlie, it's so big, it must have cost you a fortune.!"

He kissed her again and put the ring on her finger. "Do you like it?" he asked. "You can exchange it if you want something different."

"I love it, I wouldn't exchange it for anything." With a quick intake of breath she pointed at a spot on the ring." "Charlie, I think I see a fractal pattern." She dug into her backpack for a flashlight and trained it on the ring. "Yes…look, there it is." Smiling triumphantly she raised her head and met his eyes.

"Hey…you just stole my line." He said, smiling back at her. "I had it all rehearsed."

She inclined her head and replied playfully. "That's what you get for giving it to another mathematician."

He shook his head and spoke softly. "Your right, I should have know better." He bent his head closer to hers. "Come here, mathematician, I have something else that I want to give you."

She giggled and moved closer and as their lips met she closed her eyes, content to be in the in the arms of her future husband.

Sometime later they parted and he leaned back against the rock.

"You know, I actually dreamed that I proposed to you just like this."

"Me too." she said as she leaned in for another kiss.

"No, I mean seriously, I ……" Suddenly his euphoric feeling faded as he became aware of that strange sensation of being watched. He could feel the hair rising on the back of his neck and he started searching the trail around them. Dappled shadows from the moonlight were everywhere and this brother's words flickered eerily across his mind. "_Promise me that you won't go anywhere alone and that you'll stay out of dark areas." _

Guiltily, he looked around him. Charlie had thought it was all over, he had convinced himself that the sensation of being watched had been due to fatigue and stress. It had been almost a week since he had felt the watchful eyes and now they were back. He couldn't explain or see them but he knew it as sure as he new his own name. The eyes wee out there….watching.

Amita twisted in his arms and pulled his face toward her. "What is it?" she asked, her eyes searching his face for an answer.

"I…ah." He swallowed and cleared his throat. "I think we should probably head back before it gets any later, that's all. Come on." Charlie stood up and offered her a hand. "

He forced a smile and added. "Let's go tell Dad the good news."

A little bewildered by his change of mood, she nonetheless complied to his wishes and in a very short time they had re-packed everything and were starting back down the trail.

Charlie's eyes shifted to every shadow as they made their way back down the trail. " _How could he have been so foolish? H_e admonished himself, it was one thing to put himself at risk but if something happened to Amita, because of his foolishness he would never forgive himself.

He held tightly to her hand and kept his flashlight trained on the trail with his other.

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Bashere gazed through his camera lens at the couple on the hillside and snapped several pictures before turning to respond to a question from one of his henchmen.

James Picarry was restless and wanted to get back to town. He desperately wanted to find a woman, especially after watching the couple on the hillside.

"What's so special about this guy anyway?

"Mr. Picarry, that young man is one of a kind. He has abilities that are limitless and will make me the most powerful man in the world."

Picarry shrugged his shoulders unimpressed. "There are lots of mathematicians , he's not the only one."

Bashere focused his camera on the couple once again. "Tsk, tsk, Mr. Picarry, There are mathematicians and then there is Dr. Charles Eppes. There is no one in his league, he is a certified genius… he has no equals."

"So how are you going to get him to work for you….drugs?" the mercenary guessed.

"Drugs would destroy his brilliant mind, Mr. Picarry, they are not an option." he paused to adjust his camera. "Everyone has a weakness and I have discovered his….he will do everything I tell him to do."

The mercenary snickered. "Really? You know, I don't think he's going to be exactly thrilled with that "other lifestyle change" that you have in mind for him. He appears to have a preference for women." He guffawed and winked at his partner but his smile quickly faded as Bashere turned toward him. The look in the older man's eyes was enough to tell him that he had gone too far and he raised his hands in a placating manner.

"Look, I didn't mean nothing by that. I'm sure he'll change his mind once he's had a chance to get to know you." he swallowed hard and tried to read the other man's face but it was devoid of any emotion.

Feeling that his buddy had done enough damage, Alexis decided to try some intervention before Bashere decided to kill Picarry and ruin a perfectly good partnership.

"Why don't we just take him now? It's perfect timing. Picarry and I can share the girl and you can have the professor. Afterwards, we kill the girl and won't have to worry about any witnesses." Alexis Krill nudged the other man in the ribs. "What do you think Picarry, she is one hot woman."

James Picarry stepped back and pulled the binoculars back up to his face. A slow grin covered his face as he commented. "I think that's a fine idea but I get her first."

The other man's face darkened. "Hey, it was my idea, so I get her first!"

"Neither one of you are going to get her, so knock it off!" Bashere hissed, glaring at both of the men. "We will stick to the schedule. I've planned this for too long to have the two of you mess it up now!" Anger darkened his eyes making them appear even colder to the other men.

Both men were unnerved by his stare and quickly stepped back leaving some space between them.

" There is one final job to do and I don't want any mistakes. You know as well as I do that if we take him now we'll have to leave before it is finished." He glared at each of them. " We leave tomorrow night…as planned!"

Krill quickly backpedaled "All right, don't get your back up, just thought we could have some fun."

"Besides, if I let you kill her, she will become a martyr to him, and I'll never get him to agree to anything." he refocused his camera and returned his attention back to the young couple. "Now don't interrupt me again!"

"That's amazing." he mumbled a few minutes later. "Look, he knows that he is being watched."

The other two grabbed their binoculars and watched as the young professor turned his head, searching through the shadows. Thier night vision glasses were so powerful that they could clearly see his eyes and it was a little disconcerting when his gaze seem to focus on them.

Picarry snorted. "That's impossible. There's no way he could know that we are here."

"Perhaps." Bashere muttered. "I've seem him to this before, somehow he can sense when he is being watched."

"What? Like he's psyche or something?" Krill asked. "Come on, that's impossible."

"Who knows what he can do with that remarkable brain of his…perhaps he has a sixth sense." Bashere put away his binoculars. "Regardless, they are leaving now and so are we." He headed down the trail. "We have to be out of the parking area before they get back to it."

"Now that is just creepy." Picarry said to his partner as they fell in line behind Bashere.

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Under the cover of darkness, Johnson and his men had infiltrated the estate and watched at the owners pulled out of the driveway. They remained hidden for another twenty minutes just in case the couple had forgotten something and decided to return.

Wayne straightened up and gave the signal for his men to start planting the C-4 in the appointed areas.

"No mistakes." he spoke softly into his radio. "Do this right, and tomorrow morning we'll be rich and rid of that dam Frenchman."

Silence echoed over the radio, as each man concentrated on his part of the job. Thirty minutes later they joined their boss at the front gate and quietly left the area.

"Where did you put the note, boss?"

"In the gatehouse with the guard. They should be safe enough from the explosion." Nervously, he looked around. The nearest house was up and around a bend in the road and too far away to see this estate. He pulled the detonator from his pocket and pressed the button.

Five different explosions echoed throughout the surrounding hills, totally destroying the once beautiful estate and turning it instantly into rubble. Fires erupted in the remains of the house and burned greedily through everything that it touched.

"Let's go boys."

Wayne let out a sigh of relief, finally finished. He had never been so happy to finish a job before, but this guy Bashere really made him uneasy. He started his van and drove slowly down the road; no need to attract attention now. They traveled for thirty minutes before they had to stop at a red signal light. The traffic light was at the bottom of a long hill and as they came to a stop several fire engines came racing past them, on their way up to the burning estate.

The light changed and he pulled out slowly and headed back to his office. Smiling broadly he boasted to his men. "I think I'll retire after we collect the rest of our money, maybe move to a more tropical environment." A hearty round of laughter burst out of the three of them and they continued to talk about they're plans for the future as they drove through the darkened streets of Los Angeles.

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Friday Morning

9:00 a.m.

Don was busy at his desk reviewing the evidence when the rest of his team began to arrive. There was something about this case that kept pulling at his memory and he was determined to figure it out. That's why he had been sitting there since 7:30, trying to bring the elusive thought to the surface of his mind. He wasn't having much luck though, and he was starting to get frustrated which explained his current frame of mind.

"Good morning, Don."

Megan's cheery voice only made the lead agent more irritable.

"Morning." he grumbled.

The pretty agent sat down and glanced sideways at her boss. "You been here all night?"

"No, just got hear early." he responded without looking up.

"So that's how it's going to be." she mumbled softly to herself as she turned on her computer.

Don looked up. "Did you say something?"

"Ah…no." she began to answer and grinned as her phone interrupted her reply. "_Saved by the bell_." she thought as she smiled at him and picked up the phone.

David and Colby had come in arguing about a baseball game and waved a hand in greeting as they settled themselves at their desks.

"Colby, look, I told you before, I would choose Ruth."

"Yeah, yeah, I…." Colby started to retort but lost his concentration as Megan caught his attention.

The pretty agent had slammed down her phone receiver and gathered some papers from her desk. She hurried over with them and placed them in the middle of Don's desk.

"We might have a break, the coast guard found an abandoned fishing boat not far from the San Pedro dock where we found the armored car. It turns out, it was stolen on the day that we were at the dock."

David's cell phone rang and he turned away to take the call. "What's the address? Okay, we'll be there." He shared a quick glance with his partner before joining Megan at Don's desk. Colby rose and followed closely behind him.

"Don, it looks like they might have hit again. That was the LAPD, they were called to the scene of a fire up in the hills and found a dead security guard with a note in his pocket addressed to you."

Don held up his hand to slow down the agent and turned back to Megan. "What did you have?"

"Forensics came up with a good print from the boat It belongs to a Brad Martinson. I ran his name through the files and he has a pretty thick one, mostly small time stuff. According to his parole officer he last known employment is with a consulting firm out in Ventura. A place called W Johnson & Co." she stopped to take a breath and to remove her glasses.

"How do you know all that, you just took the call." the agent asked incredulously.

She grinned from ear to ear. "I accessed the records while I was on the phone. I multi-task Agent Eppes."

This time Don returned her grin as he stood up. "David you and Colby take the burned estate, Megan and I will go interview Mr. Johnson and be careful."


	16. Chapter 16

-1Obsession

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: Thanks again for your reviews and your patience. I know everyone is eager to discover who Bashere really is and if his plan is successful.

**Sun Tsu - The Art of War**

**Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent's fate.**

Chapter 16:

Friday - 1:00 p.m.

Don and Megan stepped off the elevator still discussing the grisly scene they had discovered at the consulting firm. Four hours and four dead bodies later and they still were not any closer to identifying the mastermind behind the crimes. The two of them headed for the break room first to grab a much needed cup of coffee.

Don removed his coffee stirrer and chewed on it as they walked back to the bull pen.

"Just like the guards in the armored truck, one shot to the back of head."

"Yeah and it wasn't a robbery." Megan mused. "They still had all of their valuables, watches, wallets, nothing personal was taken."

"Okay, then. so what's out motive?" He asked as he opened the door for her and they entered the room.

David and Colby appeared to have just returned themselves and were busy discussing the aspects of their trip to the Hollywood hills. They both looked over as Don and Megan returned.

"So, what did you guys find at the estate?" Don asked as he leaned back in his chair far enough so he could stretch his legs out and put his feet up on his desk.

"One dead security guard, a demolished estate and this." David held up the note and moved over to hand it to the older agent. "Forensics is dusting the guard's house for prints, didn't find any on the note."

"Charlie can finish the message now." Colby added, coming over to stand beside his partner. "Should I call him?"

Don shook his head. "No, he said he was coming in for a little while after lunch. He can't stay for too long, though, he has a budget meeting later in the afternoon." He studied the numbers on the note and wondered if they were ever going to get a break in this case.

"How about you guys, did you learn anything from that consultant.?" David asked.

Don looked up shifting his thoughts to the junior agent but before he could answer the question Megan stood up.

During the conversation, she had been sitting at her desk, printing photographs of the four dead men. She crossed the floor and pinned them on the board.

"We found four dead bodies, this one is Wayne Johnson, owner of the consulting firm; the other three worked for him." She pointed to the first picture that she had pinned on the board.

Her finger moved to the next photograph. "Paul Martin was an explosive's expert and we suspect that he was our bomb maker."

"Wait a minute." Colby squinted at the photograph. "Isn't that our missing forklift operator?"

David snapped his fingers. "Right, ah….Randall Bailey."

"The one and only." Don commented from his desk. "We checked with LAPD before we came back and Martin had stolen the man's I.D. The real Randal Bailey is a forklift operator at that dock but he was out of town yesterday visiting a sick relative." The agent took a sip of his coffee. "Bailey's alibi checks out, his brother was in an automobile accident on Wednesday night."

"That's sounds a little too convenient." Colby added sarcastically.

Megan nodded in agreement and pointed to the next photo. "This was Harold Jeffreys, he was picked up for arson a few years ago and was out on parole. And this one, Brad Martinson, was a suspect in a bank robbery a couple of years ago but the DA couldn't make it stick."

She tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear and turned around to face them. "You know, I have to wonder what type of consulting work Mr. Johnson provided." She walked back to her desk and sat down. " His employees had some rather unique skills." she added with a smirk.

David crossed his arms and leaned against Don's desk. "Yeah, they're not exactly the kind of skills that you would find on your average resume."

Don picked up the explanation. "The office was cleaned out, it wasn't robbery though. There was plenty of money lying around but the computer was gone and any records or files that might have been there were missing." he paused again and took another sip of coffee. "We ran a few of the serial numbers from the money they had on them and they match the bills taken from the bank and the armored car heist."

David put his hands in his jeans pockets and tilted his head thoughtfully. "So, robbery wasn't the motive."

Don brought his feet down from the desk and stood up, stretching his tired muscles. "Doesn't look like it, what did you guys get."

Colby stepped over to his desk and grabbed a photo to pin on the board.

"Evan Spencer, security guard at the estate that was torched last night. One shot to the back of the head, just like all of the others."

Don added the note to the board and looked over the photos. "Man, what would you gain by killing so many people? He mumbled to himself as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

The SAC turned suddenly and faced his agents with an expression of realization on his face. "He's covering his tracks, tying up any loose ends that can connect him to these cases."

"He's doing a dam good job of it." David responded grimly.

Megan stood up and walked over to the board and with her hands on her hips she studied it closely.

"There is still some evidence that we don't have but we should have by now. Colby you went down to see Hendricks, what did he have to say?"

The younger agent shrugged out of his FBI windbreaker and hung it across the back of his chair. "He said they got hit with some kind of virus that wiped out part of the report. I checked with the coroner for his part of the report and oddly enough, his computer was hit with it too."

"That sounds a little too coincidental to me." Don rubbed his fingers across his lips thoughtfully. "Did you get a good look at the body?"

"Don, the body was missing."

"Missing." Don repeated incredulously. "How did they lose the body?"

David rubbed the top of his head. "It looks like the I.D. tag was switched with a body that was released to it's family. By the time the dept had caught up with the mistake, the body had already been cremated."

"What? Are you saying the family couldn't recognize their own son?"

"No, I'm saying that a switch was made after the I.D. had been made."

Don shook his head and scrubbed his hands through his hair. He stopped and turned back to the younger agents. "And the coroner's photo's and files were hit with a virus?" Frustrated, he switched subjects.

" What about the background on the estate? Maybe we'll get a break there."

It was David's turn to shake his head. "We haven't had a chance to do a full background check on the estate yet. We were just getting started on that when you guys walked in"

The lead agent paced around the room. "I don't like it, it's like the key elements are deliberately being kept from us. The answer is there." he said irritably , as he pointed at the boards, "it's just out of our reach." He scowled and continued to pace around the room.

David turned to his partner. "What did the tech's have to say about the virus?"

"Only that it's a bad one and they're not really sure how it was delivered or if the data has been permanently corrupted. "

"That's definitely an inside job." Don frowned, adding. "Has anyone heard from Wright on how that IA investigation is going?"

A negative shake of heads was all that greeted his question and he sighed inwardly. He knew the drill, they all did. Internal Affairs would suspect everyone in the office and until his team was cleared, Don wouldn't be hearing anything from Wright on that subject.

Megan sighed loudly as she sat down on one of the conference tables. She pulled her legs up and crossed them beneath her. "What are we missing?"

Don crossed his arms and leaned against another table glowering darkly at the boards. "These five cases are linked, there has to be another connection besides these notes."

"Hey, did you get another set of numbers?"

They all turned in surprise as Charlie closed the door and hurried into the room, his eyes eagerly seeking out the new numbers.

Don patted him on the back. "Glad you're here bro. You should be able to finish the last sentence now."

Charlie just nodded and grabbing a marker he immediately began to write the numbers on the board.

14 20 3 14 1 15 18 22 5 20 9 18 5 5 9 12 9 23 12

5 18 4 25 15 20 19

Once again he assigned them letters and then moved them around until they formed a word but this time he was able to complete the message. He hurried over to the adjoining board and added the latest words to complete the last sentence.

THE LAPD AND FBI WILL PAY FOR THEIR IMPUDENCE

I TAKE BACK MY PROPERTY  
WHAT I CANNOT RETRIEVE I WILL DESTROY

Charlie stepped back and stood beside the other agents.

Don rubbed his hand over is chin as he studied the message. "Well, now we know why he blew up the yacht and the estate, but what property has he taken back?" He glanced at Megan. "You think he means the money from the sale of his property or is there something else that he's going to take back? '

"I don't know, but it's like I said before. If he can't have it, then he will destroy it so no one else can have it. It's classic psychopathic behavior."

"Well it certainly makes more sense. All we have to do now is figure out who it is."

Charlie shook his head slowly and frowned. "He's finished now, the message is complete. Won't he just move on?"

Don glanced at his brother and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that's what we think too." He waved a hand at the pictures on the board. " He's covering his tracks by killing his own people."

"The question is… do we still have time to find him?" Megan mumbled as she wearily rubbed her eyes.

"David, did you get that list of sales from the M & K company? "

"Not yet Colby, but they did promise to send it to me today." He moved over to his computer. "I haven't had a chance to check my e-mail yet."

The agent grew silent as he scanned his mail. He suddenly looked up and with excitement in his voice he reported. "Yes, here it is…..oh, man…..there's got to be at least five hundred pages in this attachment." Frowning he added. "This could take us awhile."

"Not necessarily." The mathematician spoke up. "Your tech's already have the algorithm to use. It shouldn't take them more than a couple of hours to find your link."

"Right." David grinned as he transferred the information onto a flash drive. "I'll be right back."

"Colby, give Hendricks a call. Tell him we want an artist sketch of that third body, and tell him it's urgent. Tell him I want it within the next couple of hours."

"On it Don." The junior agent hurried to his desk and started dialing.

Megan wondered back to her desk. She drummed her fingers on her desk thoughtfully before accessing her database on psychopaths . She had a nagging feeling that she was missing something pretty big.

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Charlie had been waiting for the right moment and now that the other agent's were busy he took a deep breath and approached his brother.

"Hey, Don." He asked hesitantly, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

Don glanced at his brother and started to look back at the evidence but stopped when he noticed the expression on Charlie's face. The last time he had seen that look was when they were both still kids and his younger brother had confessed to getting into Don's collection of baseball cards.

His brow furrowed with concern. " Everything okay?"

"Ah, yeah….listen, can we go somewhere and talk…. privately… I mean."

"Sure, come with me."

Don opened the door to an empty conference room and motioned for him to enter first. He followed him in, letting the door close before turning to face his brother. Charlie started pacing around the room almost immediately so Don leaned casually against a desk and waited for his brother to tell him what was bothering him. He knew from experience to let him have a few minutes to gather his thoughts when he was in this kind of mood, so he checked his watch and decided he would give him one more minute before grabbing him by the arm to make him stand still and tell him what was going on.

Okay, another look at the watch and ten more seconds more and he was going to put a stop to this, but before he could follow through with it, Charlie stopped right in front of him.

He stared at him for a minute, then looked away, then faced him once again. Taking a deep breath he asked his question so fast that Don couldn't quite catch what he had said.

"Donwouldyoubemybestman?"

The agent straightened up and snorted. "Huh? Didn't quite get that Buddy. Want to try again?"

Charlie's face turned red and he ducked his head in embarrassment . He took a deep breath and looked up again to find that his brother was wearing a slight smirk on his face and waiting for him to repeat his question.

"Don, would you be my best man?" He said it slower and let out a relieved breath.

Don's eyebrows rose in disbelief as he searched his brother's face for signs that he was joking with him.

His brother was taking so long in answering his question that Charlie thought that he might have made a mistake. _Could he have been wrong? He had been so sure that Don would want to be his best man that it hadn't even occurred to him that he might not want to stand up at the altar with him. But now he was afraid that he had made a mistake, that it had been just wishful thinking on his part. Had he truly only imagined that they had become closer and had finally put their childhood differences to rest? _Desperately trying not to show the hurt that he was feeling from Don's reaction he decided to give his brother a way out and make a quick escape.

He swallowed and looked away stammering. "I mean…ah…if you don't want to…it's okay….I…ah…will understand…..I can ask Larry."

Don suddenly grabbed him in a tight embrace. "Of course, I want to be your best man. I'm sorry, you just took me by surprise, that's all." He held him at arm's length and looked into his eyes. " Don't you dare ask Larry… that's my job, not his. Congratulations, bro."

He gave him another hug and then stepped back, grinning ear to ear, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

"It's about time, your lucky that someone didn't snatch her up first." He gave him a playful punch on his arm. "Hey, did you tell Dad yet?"

A relieved and now grinning Charlie nodded his head. "Yeah, we told him last night when we got back. Oh, I'm supposed to tell you that he's having a barbecue tonight to celebrate the engagement, so you better be there."

" Of course I'll be there, wild horses couldn't keep me away."

Charlie snorted. "I don't think Dad's worried about wild horses, he's more concerned about sirens and flashing lights."

Don rolled his eyes at him. "Not gonna happen, bro. I'll be there."

"Oh, I have to invite Megan, David and Colby too. I've already invited Larry." he added excitedly.

"Come on, let's go find them." He hooked an arm around his brother's neck and led him out of the room.

David had returned and he and Colby had their heads together quietly going over the data again and didn't notice them enter right away.

Megan was the first to realize that something was up. Of course, the first thing that gave them away was that they were both smiling like two kids at a candy store. She pulled off her glasses and leaned on her elbows as she studied them. She glanced at Don's expression and then went back to Charlie's . Jumping up from her desk she ran over to give the younger man a hug.

"You did it, didn't you?" she asked him breathlessly.

"What's going on?" David asked as he got up from his chair and joined them with Colby following curiously behind him.

"Yeah, what's up?

Don laughed out loud. "Megan, if you don't let him breath he can't tell you his news."

Undaunted she pulled away from the younger man. "Well?"

Charlie's grin was still plastered on his face as he looked around at his friends.

All he had to say were three little words. "She said yes."

Megan laughed out loud and was suddenly hugging him again while David and Colby were shaking his hands and patting him on the back.

Colby's eyes widened suddenly and he elbowed David in the arm.

"Hey Charlie." he tried to ask innocently. "Exactly when did you propose to Amita?"

"Last night." he responded absently as he answered a question for Megan.

"Hey guys, your all invited to the house tonight to help us celebrate" Charlie grinned broadly at his brother. "Dad has gone off the deep end for this. He started planning this right after we told him the news. I don't think he even slept last night. The only reason you didn't get a call was because I made him promise to let me tell you the news myself."

Megan nudged him in the side. "Well, come on give us the details."

The young mathematician blushed but gave in and told them all about his proposal to Amita.

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3:30 p.m.

Charlie had left for his budget meeting, but the mood around the office had turned a little lighter from his news and excitement for their young friends had infected the moods of the agents. Some more than others. One of them was muttering and grumbling as he worked, albeit good naturedly, but still grumbling. Don grinned at the memory; his little brother had gotten the best of them, beaten the three agents at their own game, and he had to admit it, he was proud of him..

_Colby had barely given Charlie time to get to the elevator before he hurried over to his desk and pulled out the chart. David and Megan rushed over to his desk as he checked the date to find out who had won the money._

_Puzzlement crossed his features as he looked up at his cohorts. "I don't recognize these initials, MME. Do either of you?"_

_David shook his head. "No, me either. I wonder which dept they work in?"_

"_What about the phone number Colby?" Megan asked, trying to read it upside down._

"_Now that does look familiar….wait a minute! Don did you do this?" He asked accusingly._

_Don glanced up in surprise. "Do what? I told you that I wasn't going to bet on it."_

" _Really?" He asked in a skeptical tone of voice. "How do you explain the fact that Charlie's phone number is on the winning square?"_

_Don opened his mouth in surprise but before he could respond, another voice answered for him._

"_Because Charlie put it there." All heads turned toward the doorway as Charlie casually walked through._

"_You can't bet on this, that's cheating." Colby sputtered._

_Charlie crossed his arms and tilted his head to the side and when he spoke it was obvious that he was trying to hold back laughter. _

"_Well, it wasn't one hundred percent sure that I would get to propose to her last night and besides I did it for your own good."_

"_How do you figure that?" David asked._

"_Simple, betting is illegal isn't it and sense you guys are my friends I thought this would be the best way to keep you from getting into trouble."_

"_There were a lot of people who bet on this Charlie. How am I going to tell them that you are the one who won the money. They'll think the same thing that I do, that it's cheating." Colby argued._

"_Well, the truth is that I didn't win the money." Charlie glanced at his brother, who had remained speechless during the conversation, and saw his eyes light up as he realized exactly what Charlie had done. _

_Colby shook his head. "Dude, it's your phone number."_

"_Dude." Charlie mimicked. "Those aren't my initials."_

_Megan caught on before her fellow agents did. "They're your mothers initials, aren't they?" she asked softly._

_Charlie grinned and nodded his head. "Yes, Margaret Mann Eppes. The money will be a donation in her name to the Cancer Research Foundation." Suddenly feeling moisture at the corners of his eyes, he cleared his throat and glanced at his watch. "Ah….I gotta go." He cast a quick look in his brother's direction, sharing a deep emotional bond in the look, before heading once again toward the elevators. _

"_Thanks for the donation guys." he called back over his shoulder._

_Colby stood by his desk, his mouth was moving but nothing was coming out. He was trying to utter his protest but just couldn't come up with the right words._

_David patted him on the back. "Let it go man, he got us." He grinned at his partner. "But you know, I think it was worth it to see Colby Granger speechless." _

_Don, David and Megan burst into laughter as Colby sat back down in his chair, stunned. He just couldn't believe it, Charlie, had indeed, put one over on him. _

A shadow crossed his desk and drew Don back to the present. He looked up at the LAPD officer and smiled.

"Hey, Gary, what brings you up here?"

Lt. Gary Walker was in charge of the LAPD 's Gang Task Force and had worked with Don and his team on a number of cases.

"Eppes, Reeves, Sinclair , Granger." he acknowledged all of them with a nod of his head then turned his attention back to Don. The serious look in his eyes prompted the agent to ask.

"What's in the folder Gary?" Don asked. "We're busy on a case right now, but we can take a look and see if we can offer some assistance."

The lieutenant held it up but didn't release it. "Don, this is a case that a friend of mine, a homicide detective, brought to my attention this morning. They had investigated a murder of a private detective, one Corey Whitley. He had an office in Ventura and was found murdered on Sunday night."

"Yeah, so." Don was eager to get to the details, there was something about the way that Walker was acting that had his FBI senses going into overdrive

Walker sensed his mood. "To make a long story short, Whitley was a small time detective, did mostly divorce jobs. You know the ones, sneak around and get pictures of the spouses doing things that they shouldn't be doing" He paused to let that information sink in before continuing on. " It also looks like he took pictures of a few of the celebrities and sold them to the tabloids and the paparazzi."

"Where are you going with this Gary?" Don asked impatiently.

"Just settle down a minute, I'm getting there." He waved his hand at the agent to calm him down. "From the evidence gathered, it looked like he had come home and interrupted a robbery. His computer equipment, wallet, watch, etc. were all missing."

David shook his head from side to side. "I don't see where this is an FBI case Lieutenant."

"It's not Sinclair, but I haven't finished yet" he answered with a glare at the agent.

David raised his hands in a placating manner. "Sorry, keep going."

"As I was saying, my guys had written it off as a burglary gone bad until they received an envelope from his lawyer this morning. In the event of Mr. Whitley's death he was to deliver a key to the LAPD. That key belonged to a storage locker at Union Station. Our guys went down there and returned with a box containing a number of flash drives. Each flash drive was a case that Whitley had been working on. Each one was in an individual plastic bag with a brief note regarding his client. The most recent case involved the photo's in this folder." He placed the folder on Don's desk.

Don's team surrounded his desk as he opened the folder and picked up a handful of pictures of his brother. Pictures of him while he was at Calsci, teaching and eating lunch with Amita and Larry. There were photographs of him taken at the Craftsman, alone and with his Dad and brother and even a few taken while he was in the waiting room at the hospital where Don and his team had been taken after the explosion.

Megan gasped. "Charlie was right, he was being watched."

David and Colby exchanged anxious looks. "Don, why didn't you tell us that someone was following Charlie?"

"For one thing, we didn't have any proof. He said he just had a feeling that someone was watching him, he never saw anyone….and he says that he hasn't had that feeling all week." Don looked up at Walker. "I guess now we know why."

"So what are you thinking?" Colby asked the lieutenant. "Paparazzi?"

"Charlie has become something of a celebrity, his book has made him quite popular." He shrugged. "As a matter of fact that's why my guys brought me the file. They recognized him from the pictures, knew that he was a friend of mine."

"What about the note, does he give us the name of the client?" Don asked darkly.

Gary guffawed. "We should be so lucky. All Whitley wrote is that he was a male, in his mid to late fifties, possibly a foreigner and appeared to have a lot of money." He grimaced. "Not a lot for us to go on."

"Anyway, I just thought you should be aware of this. Hopefully, it was just for the paparazzi and nothing more."

"Thanks, Gary." Don stood and shook his hand. "Listen, you could do me one favor."

"Name it."

"Could you have car cover his house until we can figure this out?"

Walker smiled at him. "Already done, Eppes" He added as he turned away. "I consider Charlie a friend of mine, and I watch out for all of my friends."

"See you Lieutenant,." Megan called after him.

Don looked back at his agents as he pulled his cell phone from his pocket and flipped it open. Hitting the speed dial button for his brother's phone, he anxiously waited for him to answer. "_Come on Charlie, answer the phone_." Three rings and it went to his voice mail. He glanced at his watch and left a message.

"What do you want us to do Don?" David asked quietly. "One of us should be covering him."

"It's four thirty so he's probably still in his budget meeting. Megan and I will run by Calsci and take him to the house. You guys come on over as soon as you get that data run. If it isn't finished by six, tell Stendhouser to call us there, and that it's urgent. If we can identify this guy, then maybe we won't have to spoil his engagement party tonight."

Don grabbed his jacket, and he and Megan rushed to the elevators.


	17. Chapter 17

Obsession

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: Sorry everyone, I tried to post this yesterday but there was a problem with the site. I appreciate all of your reviews.

**Sun Tsu - The Art of War**

**Attack where they are not prepared, go out to where they do not expect.**

Chapter 17:

Don glanced in his right side view mirror before quickly shifting lanes. Commuter traffic was already starting to back up and he was trying to make it to his exit before the traffic came to a standstill. Worst case scenario, he would switch on his lights and sirens to get through, but technically he wasn't rushing to an emergency. At this point in time, it could be just as Walker had suggested….just photographs for the paparazzi.

Don knew better though; he could feel it in every fiber of his body. His FBI senses had flared with such an intensity that he was beginning to lose his internal struggle to remain calm.

His exit appeared and he barely had time to flip on his turn signal before switching to the appropriate lane. This caught his partner's attention, especially since she had to hold on to the dash as the vehicle careened off the highway toward the exit.

Megan glanced sideways at her friend. "Are you okay?"

He shot her a quick glance: "Fine, just in a hurry."

She only caught his eye for a second, but it was enough time for her to see the anxiety in his brown eyes. "You know, this could be nothing, I mean , there is a chance that it is just photographs for the media." Megan had Walker's folder in her hands and had been studying the pictures as she rode along.

Don came to a stop at the end of the exit and made his turn toward Pasadena. He quickly merged with the traffic and soon found himself only a few blocks from CalSci.

"You don't really believe that and neither do I. Charlie was our link this whole time and I didn't see it!" Angrily he thumped his fist on the steering wheel. "Think about it Megan. "One." he raised his fingers as he counted off his reasons. "You've been saying all along that we are dealing with a psychopath and Bashere is as crazy as they come." He raised a second finger. "Two, I'll bet you a week's pay that "The Rising Run" was once named "Imperious." Don turned onto the main drive leading to the CalSci Campus. "Three, Bashere bought a house in the Hollywood Hills on the morning that he took Charlie. How much of a stretch would it be to believe that it was the estate that was blown up?"

"He's destroyed the property that he couldn't take back and now he plans on leaving with the money and his last piece of …." property", my little brother. " He glanced sideways at her. " Charlie said that Bashere referred to him as his "property" remember?" His jaw tightened reflexively as he said the name of the man that had tried to kidnap his brother and had almost killed him in the process.

"I remember." Megan responded grimly.

He nodded his head as if confirming his own thoughts. "I have no doubts at all that Henri Bashere is behind everything that has happened to us for the past two weeks. He's met all but one of his objectives and will try to accomplish that one soon." He glanced over at Megan and met her eye. "Feel free to toss back any flaw's that you might find in my logic."

"I'm sorry Don." She looked away to avoid his eyes. "I truly wish that I could disagree but everything that you've said falls right on the mark."

"Yeah." he sighed. "I was afraid that you might say that. I know it's him, we just don't have any proof yet."

Don's uneasiness began to grow as they pulled into the parking lot near the Math building and slowly circled around it searching for Charlie's Prius.

"Maybe the meeting was at the administration building." Megan offered as she continued to search the campus grounds.

Without responding, Don turned his SUV around and headed for the other side of the campus. Both of them kept a close eye out for Charlie's car, but they reached their destination without any sign of it.

"Dam it." Don muttered as he pulled into a parking space and pulled out his cell phone. "Where is he?" He spoke more to himself than to his partner as he pressed his speed dial for the house and impatiently waited for the phone to be answered. Finally, just before it went to voice mail, his father's voice came over the line.

"Eppes."

"Hey, Dad., is…." Alan interrupted him before he could finish.

"Donnie! Your are coming over, right? Alan asked excitedly. "I've put up decorations and I have all kinds of snacks for us to munch on while our steaks are cooking."

"Listen….Dad…is Charlie there?" Don asked, ignoring his father's questions.

"Not yet, but we expect him soon. His meeting lasted longer than he expected."

"Wait...Dad…you talked to him? How long ago? Don's heart took a small hopeful leap and for the first time since Walker had shown up he let himself believe that he wasn't too late, that he still had a chance protect his brother from a madman. He wasn't successful in hiding the tension in his voice though, and Alan picked up on the anxiety right away.

"Why…what's wrong?" Alan's tone of voice had changed from excited to worried in a split second.

"Please, Dad, just answer me. How long ago did you talk to him?"

"Well, I didn't but Amita did, hold on." Don drummed his fingers nervously on the steering wheel and shared a worried glance with Megan while he waited for his Dad to return to the phone. He could hear mumbled voices in the background and then finally Alan returned to the phone.

"Donnie, Amita says she talked to Charlie about a half an hour ago. He was on his way home but told her he had to make a stop somewhere and pick up something but that it wouldn't take him long."

"Where?" Don pressed him for more information. "Did he say where he was going to stop?"

"Donnie, your starting to worry me, what's this all about?" Alan's tone of voice grew more anxious.

"Dad, please, just ask Amita?"

"Hold on." was the gruff reply and Don rubbed his forehead as he listened to mumbled voices once again.

"She doesn't know, he told her it was a surprise. He should be here soon though... are you coming over?" Alan tried again. "Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

"Yeah, Dad, Megan and I are on our way over and yes I will fill you in when we get there. Tell Charlie to call me as soon as he gets home. Okay? All right, …see you in a few minutes.."

He ended the call and hit the speed dial once again, frowning when the call went to voice mail forcing him to leave another message. "Charlie, call me ASAP, it's urgent!" He closed the phone as he put the car into gear and pulled out of the parking lot.

"Now what?" Megan asked worriedly.

"We go to the house, hopefully he'll beat us there."

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The three figures outside of the Craftsman home could hear the muffled laughter going on inside as they quietly worked the lock on the front door.

The man trying to force the lock stopped and turned to the leader. "Are you sure he hasn't put in an alarm system? Because if he has, as soon as I trip it, the game will be up." he stood up and faced the man in charge. "What do you want me to do?"

"I know he was planning to put one in, but I don't know if he actually had the chance to have it installed. I suppose we'll just have to get them to open the door." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully and checked out the surrounding area. The street was quiet and no one was in sight. He motioned for his cohorts to move back into the shadows on the porch. "Ring the doorbell and we'll grab whoever answers it and use them to gain entrance."

He pulled a dark mask from his pocket and rubbed the silky material between his fingers before slipping it over his head. It was a full face Balaclava and was made of an ultra thin material. There were holes for his eyes and mouth and even though it had good elasticity it was very comfortable to wear, unlike the masks of his two companions; their face masks were of the standard, knitted variety. The same held true for the rest of his clothing; silky and comfortable. Henri Bashere was a man who never settled for anything but the best.

Bashere checked out his companions. They were all dressed in black, from head to toe; not a spot of skin could be seen anywhere with only their eyes and mouths visible. He motioned for one of them to ring the doorbell. They quietly crept further into the shadows and waited for the door to open.

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The laughter inside the Craftsman home resonated with warmth.

Alan, Amita, and Larry were traveling back and forth between the kitchen and the dining room putting the finishing touches on the decorations and the food preparations for the party. They were currently working on an appetizer tray while they waited for everyone to arrive.

Larry and Amita had come over earlier in the afternoon to give Alan a hand but he had surprised them. The elder Eppes had been so excited about the engagement that he had completed the majority of the preparations himself before they had arrived.

The dining room was lit up with brightly colored ribbons and balloons . There was a small sheet cake sitting on a side table bearing Charlie and Amita's names written in a flowing script and it was decorated with tiny red and while rosebuds. Champagne and water glasses were sitting at each place setting and a bottle of champagne was chilling in an ice bucket on the buffet next to the table.

The three of them were presently working on a large platter of various appetizers. They were in the kitchen and because of the occasion they were feeling very lighthearted, almost to the point of being giddy.

Alan couldn't stop smiling. He had lost his "gloom and doom" mood and replaced it with one that could only be called "euphoric". His heavy heart had lifted with the news and his spirits had been soaring sky high ever since the moment the couple had told him. He glanced over at Amita and smiled even broader, he couldn't help himself.

He thought she was a good match for Charlie in every way. She understood his son like no other woman would be able too. She was beautiful and witty and intelligent enough to keep up with his incredible mind and she loved him enough to keep him grounded.

Alan sighed, his heart seemed so full. Those grandchildren that he wanted so dearly were becoming a possibility, but more than that he knew that Charlie would be happy. Alan had even entertained the thought that Donnie might propose to Robin after seeing his younger brother take the plunge.

"Where did you get all of this stuff on such short notice?" Larry asked incredulously, interrupting Alan's daydreams. "You have stuffed mushrooms, shrimp, barbecue wings, scallops wrapped in bacon….and more."

Amita asked a question of her own before Alan could answer Larry's question.

"Alan how did you get that cake prepared so quickly, it's absolutely beautiful. I can't wait for Charlie to see it. Thank you." She kissed him lightly on the cheek and suddenly realized how her feelings had grown toward him. He was such an endearing man and he had accepted her in his son's life without hesitation. Suddenly embarrassed by her actions she added. "Larry's right, this is just incredible."

Alan's eyes were warm and a smile still lit up his face. "It pays to have a friend who is a caterer and I promised her that we would consider her shop when we make the arrangements for the wedding."

The phone rang and Alan hurriedly wiped his hands before picking up the receiver.

"Eppes." He answered, still in his lighthearted mood.

"Donnie!" Your coming over, right? I've put up decorations and I have all kinds of snacks for us to munch on while our steaks are cooking." As he listened to his son his eyes drifted to Amita and Larry, watching them arrange fresh vegetables and a dip on another platter.

"Not yet, but we expect him soon. His meeting lasted longer than he expected." Alan replied.

Amita looked up realizing that he was discussing Charlie and they exchanged smiles.

Alan's brow furrowed as he continued to talk on the phone. "Why…what's wrong?" He listened and then answered. "Well, I didn't but Amita did, hold on." Alan turned from the phone and spoke to the young woman.

"Amita how long ago did you talk with Charlie?"

Puzzled, she glanced at Larry and then back to Alan. "Maybe…a half an hour ago. Charlie said he was on his way home but that he had one more stop to make, said he had to pick something up and that it wouldn't take him long…why?"

Alan didn't answer her but returned to his phone conversation. "Donnie, Amita says she talked to Charlie about a half an hour ago. He was on his way home but he told her he had to make a stop somewhere and pick something up but that it wouldn't take him long"

Alan's brows knitted together as he listened to his son.

"Donnie, your starting to worry me. What's this all about?" he asked anxiously as he kept his ear to the phone.

"Hold on." Frustrated because Don wasn't answering his questions he turned once again to Amita.

"Don wants to know if Charlie told you where he was going to go?"

She shook her head and with concern in her eyes she answered. "He didn't tell me Alan, he just said that it was going to be a surprise."

Alan once again placed his ear to the receiver. "She doesn't know, he told her it was a surprise. He should be here soon though, are you coming over? Annoyed at the lack of information that his son was sharing with him he added. "Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

"Okay, see you soon." He hung up the phone and turned to face two worried and puzzled faces.

Amita put a hand on his forearm. "Alan, what was that all about?"

"Donnie said he would tell me when he gets here….wouldn't tell me over the phone."

Larry's face broke into a smile as he suggested. "I bet it has to do with the case that Charlie is working on."

Suddenly relieved, Alan patted Amita's hand and smiled. "Your probably right Larry. That would explain why Donnie couldn't tell me what's going on." He glanced at the clock on he wall. "You know, everyone should start arriving soon so we better get this stuff on the table. Larry could you bring that water pitcher and start filling up the water glasses?"

"Most assuredly." Larry said as he grabbed the pitcher and followed Alan and Amita through the swinging door from the kitchen to the dining room.

The doorbell rang just as Amita set the vegetable tray down on the table and she automatically turned for the front door.

"I'll get it Alan, I'm closer to the door." she called back over her shoulder.

"Thanks Amita."

"I think I'm going to have to try one of these mushrooms." Larry said as he reached for one.

"Only one." Alan admonished laughingly. "I know how you are once you get started on them."

Amita smiled as she walked toward the front door, listening to the friendly banter back and forth as her friends and soon to be family began munching on the food.

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Charlie pulled into the parking space in front of the florist shop and turned off his car. Earlier in the day he had ordered two dozen red roses and although he could have had them delivered to the house , his heart's desire was to present them to Amita himself. Smiling in anticipation of this he quickly got out of his car and headed for the door of the shop. It was almost six o'clock and he was just going to make it before they closed.

It was a quaint little shop and had been in the Los Angeles area for a number of years. There were florist shops closer to his home but his mother had favored this shop and had often praised the quality of the flowers that she had purchased there. Somehow, he felt that she would approve of his choice in coming here and that made him feel closer to her.

He opened the door and a bell hanging over it announced his entrance to the shop. Hurrying to the counter he anxiously looked around for the owner. He knew her from the many times that he had come there with his mother.

"Hello" No one answered so he walked around the counter and called out again. "Hello….Mrs. Hoffman? Is anyone here?"

"Oh, Professor, than goodness it's you." An elderly woman came bustling out of a side door and hurried to the counter. "I was afraid that you weren't going to make it in time."

"I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner, Mrs. Hoffman, but my meeting ran later than I expected it too and I couldn't get away." Charlie offered in apology.

She smiled at him in a motherly way and patted his hand. "That's okay dear, I would have kept the shop open for you." Her eyes took on a wistful look. "Your mother used to come in here all of the time…just loved our roses." She sighed and shook her head sadly. "I still miss seeing her, she was such a lovely woman." Noticing that his eyes had saddened at the mention of his mother, she quickly changed the subject. "I think that you are really going to like these roses. I made sure that only the best ones were put aside for your order." She winked at him. " I picked them out myself, it'll just take me a minute to get them for you."

She darted into the next room but quickly returned carrying a long white box and set it on the counter. Lifting the lid she tilted the box to see if the roses would meet with his approval. Carefully he removed one of them and inhaled the pleasant aroma. He knew Amta would love the fragrance and gently returned the flower to the box. The woman began to put the lid back on the box but he reached out his hand and stopped her.

"Wait, I want to put something in with the roses before you close it." He pulled a folded note from his pocket and placed it on top of the roses.

"She must be very special." the lady remarked as she closed the box and encircled it with a red ribbon.

"Very special." he responded with a shy smile as he paid her for the roses. He thanked her again for keeping the shop open and hurried back to his car, carefully placing the box of roses on the back seat.

A thrill of excitement coursed through him as he turned his car around and headed for home. He couldn't wait to see Amita's face when he gave her the roses and he found himself longing for the feel of her in his arms and the kiss that would surely follow.

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Amita stepped out on the front porch in puzzlement. She had clearly heard the doorbell ring and yet no one was there.

"Hello?" she called out. She stepped down the front steps but didn't see anyone, so she shrugged her shoulders and turned back toward the house. "_Maybe it was just kids playing around"_ she thought as she stepped toward the open door. She was suddenly grabbed from behind and a hand was clamped over her mouth before she could scream. She struggled against the man until her eyes fell upon the guns that were pointed at her and she quietly ceased her efforts.

Her eyes widened with fear as one of them stepped toward her and said quietly.

"We are going to follow you inside, if you try anything at all, one of those people in there will die." he paused to make sure he had her full attention. " Do as I say, and no one will get hurt. Have I made myself clear?" he asked.

She nodded her head fearfully.

"Let's go." He waved the gun toward the doorway, motioning for her to enter the house.

They walked slowly inside and the last man in closed the door quietly behind him. The man holding her kept her arms pinned at her sides as they slowly approached the dining room where Alan and Larry were sampling the appetizers.

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"Crap." Don muttered as he pulled in behind his father's car;Charlie's Prius wasn't there yet.

"Where the hell is he?" He asked as he climbed out of the vehicle.

Megan met him at the rear of the SUV. "What do you want to do?"

"Let's go in, maybe he called again."

They started for the door but Don hesitated halfway up the sidewalk, glancing up and down the street.

"What is it?" Megan asked following his movements.

"Didn't Gary say that he had already put a car on the house? I don't see it anywhere, do you?"

"Maybe he's out patrolling the area." She commented as they turned and headed for the house.

"Maybe." he agreed as he opened the front door.


	18. Chapter 18

Obsession

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: I truly appreciate all of your reviews. Thank you.

**Sun Tsu - The Art of War**

**Attack where they are not prepared, go out to where they do not expect**

Chapter 18

"Hey Dad."

Don called out as soon as they entered the house. He could see Amita and Larry sitting at the table and as he strode forward Alan came into view. He knew immediately that something was wrong, they were sitting way too still, wide-eyed with fearful expressions on their faces, silently staring at them.

"Dad? What's …." He caught the movement out of the corner of his eye but it was too late. The barrel of the gun jabbed into his back while he was still in mid-turn, his hand frozen, hovering above his gun. His assailant's hand snaked around him and lifted his gun from the holster on his belt.

"Hands in the air and don't try anything….I can't miss from this range." The owner of the gun warned him in a tone of voice that left no doubt that he would follow through with his threat.

Don risked a glance at Megan and discovered that she too had a gun shoved into the middle of her back. They exchanged looks and raised their hands into the air.

Don stared straight ahead, holding his father's fearful eyes with his own. "Now what?" he asked. "What do you…..?" he grunted as the gun was shoved more forcefully into his back.

A cold voice issued orders from behind them. "Take them in and bind them like the others."

Don tried to look over his shoulder at the man in charge but was shoved with enough force to throw him off balance. He staggered but managed to keep on his feet as the two of them were pushed toward the dining room.

The sight that greeted them made Don's heart constrict with fear. His Dad, Larry and Amita were all strapped to their chairs. Amita was at the end of the table that was closest to the entrance and he could see the duct tape binding her arms and legs to her seat.

His eyes drifted to his Dad and Larry and although he couldn't see it from where he was standing, he knew that they were restrained in the same manner. The chair to Amita's right was empty and the man behind Megan pushed her forward and forced her to sit down. He immediately taped her hands and legs to the chair. Now it was Don's turn and he was pushed to the other end of the table and forced to sit down where he too was restrained. His father was on his left, and Larry was sitting between Alan and Megan leaving the left side of the table empty.

The two gunman left the room and soon Don could hear muffled voices coming from the family room. Taking advantage of their absence he leaned toward his father and whispered. "Are you all right Dad?"

Alan let out a shaky breath and leaned as close to his son as he could get. and whispered back. "Just a little shook up, that's all. Donnie they haven't even said who they are or what they want...they...they...used Amita as a shield and forced their way in."

Don glanced around the table. "Is anyone hurt?" He let out a relieved breath as Larry and Amita both whispered back that they were okay.

"Have they said anything at all that would help us figure out what they want?" Megan whispered, keeping her eyes on the foyer.

Larry shook his head. "It would seem that they intend to keep their secrets to themselves. The leader of these hooligans has made the family room his lair and has not ventured forth since they arrived."

Don frowned. "How long ago was that?"

Amita tilted her head in thought. "I'm not sure, maybe fifteen minutes ago." She looked at her two companions for confirmation.

"Yeah...that sounds about right." Alan agreed, glancing at the vacant foyer. "Donnie, what are we going to do? What do you think they want?"

"I don't know Dad." He struggled with the tape holding his arms down but it was to no avail. "At least they haven't hurt anyone yet...that's a good sign." he offered as encouragement to everyone around the table and Megan nodded in agreement.

"He's right." She whispered. "It could be just a simple robbery. Maybe they don't really want to hurt anyone." She glanced sideways at Don and received a nod of approval. Megan and Don both knew that something more was going on, but there wasn't any reason to upset their friends any more than necessary.

They ceased talking and all looked toward the foyer at the sound of footsteps. One of the masked men crossed the room and stood to the right of the swinging door that lead to the kitchen. He glared at them and stood silently aiming his automatic pistol at the captives.

"What's this all about….what do you want?" Alan asked the gunman. "Who are you?" His question went unanswered but he continued to plead with the man anyway. "Look, if this is a robbery, just take what you want….you don't have to hurt anyone."

The gunman didn't answer, he just stood there.

"Who are you...what do you want?" Don demanded and then shifted gears. "Look, it's not too late, no one has been hurt. We could still work out a deal for you."

All heads turned back toward the foyer when an unseen voice answered the agent. "He has instructions not to talk to you...and by the way Agent Eppes, no deals will be made tonight."

Don could hear the man walking around in the living room, picking things up and then putting them back down again. How dare he go through their personal items like this, who the hell did he think he was? This personal intrusion gnawed at his nerves and his apprehension was growing as the footsteps came closer and closer to the dining room. The man's voice was echoing through his mind, he knew it, there was a familiarity to it and as the man stepped into view, Don realized that his worst nightmare had taken on a physical form and the agent's uncontrollable rage burst forth..

"Bashere….you son of a bitch!." Don's heart was racing from fear, not for himself, but for his brother and he was terrified that he wouldn't be able to stop the Frenchman from kidnapping Charlie again. " If you touch him, I swear I will kill you!" he yelled as he struggled against the tape, the guns forgotten in his anger.

Alan looked at Don in shock and then back again at the masked man. A look of fear spread across his features as he recognized the name that Don had shouted out and he wasn't the only one. All around the table the others had reacted to the name in similar ways.. Amita's face had drained of all color in fear of Charlie's safety.

A tall man wearing a ski mask stood in the opening between the foyer and the dining room. He crossed his arms as his cold eyes traveled around the table stopping when they focused on Don.

"That isn't a very nice way to greet a guest, Agent Eppes." he eyes drifted to Alan. "Didn't you teach your son any manners?"

"I know it's you Bashere…you may be wearing a mask but your eyes and voice are still the same!" Don shouted accusingly. "Hiding behind that mask isn't going to protect you!"

"I wish you had drowned!" Alan spat out angrily, mimicking his son's efforts to set himself free.

"Hmm….like father like son I see." Bashere's lip curled up in a sneer as he walked further into the room. "And by the way, this mask is more for your protection than mine."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" The agent snapped back.

Bashere graced him with a contemptible look and stopped near the table, studying each one of them.

"It's apparent that all of you know who I am. You might be surprised to learn however, that I also know who you are. I've done my homework this time."

He gazed around the room, taking in all of the decorations and the festive dinnerware. "What's this now?" He asked waving his hands around the room. "It looks as if you were planning on celebrating something." He picked up a steak knife and punctured several of the balloons, noting with satisfaction that both of the professor's jumped at the sound of them popping. "I do believe that you were a bit premature."

Purposely he strolled over and stood beside of Amita's chair. She stiffened as he came closer but she refused to lower her eyes, not even trying to hide her hatred for him.

"Professor Amita Ramajuan, a brilliant mathematician and fiance of Professor Charles Edward Eppes." he paused and looked down upon her with an air of contempt. "Pity that the wedding is never going to take place."

Amita's face suddenly flushed with color as she angrily retorted. "Yes it will! Charlie and I will get married.!"

"That is going to be a little difficult, especially when you consider that the groom is not going to be around much longer." He enjoyed hurting her and he decided to twist the knife a little more. "The Professor is no longer available." He watched as her eyes filled with tears.

"There…there…now, your still young….I'm sure you will find someone else." Bashere smiled and patted the top of her head as if he was just patting a dog's head.

This statement took the rest of the defiance from her eyes and the tears spilled over. "No." she sobbed. "You can't do this...you can't...take Charlie away."

He looked down at her with disdain and with a shrug of his shoulders he turned away and stepped behind Megan and Larry's chairs.

"Special Agent Megan Reeves," he spoke arrogantly, "Profiler for the FBI"

He leaned closer so that his face was only inches from hers. "Tell me …have you profiled me?" He straightened back up when she didn't respond. "Of course you have, and you, more than anyone in this room, know what I am capable of doing."

Megan swallowed hard but just sat there in silence, staring straight ahead. She was afraid to say anything, one wrong word and the man's behavior could turn violent.

Realizing that she wasn't going to take the bait, Bashere cupped a hand under her chin and tilted her head upward. She flinched at his touch but maintained eye contact with him. "What's the matter….don't you want to play?" He released her and turned to the man sitting next to her.

"Professor Lawrence Fleinhart, astrophysicist, astronaut, mentor and friend of Dr. Eppes." He sat on the edge of the table and locked eyes with the smaller man. "I'm curious Professor, what was it like trying to teach a thirteen year old genius?"

Larry's cosmology metaphors failed him under the scrutiny of the madman so he decided to follow Megan's lead and remained silent. Sweat was beading on his forehead by the time Bashere stood up. "I see...you don't want to play either."

Bashere continued his walk around the table. The rustling of his clothes and the sound of his heels tapping on the hardwood floor were the only sounds in a now eerily silent room.

"Alan Eppes." he announced to everyone as he stopped in front of the man's chair. "Proud patriarch of the Eppes family."

A sob interrupted him and he turned to yell at Amita. "Stop that infernal crying or I will have you gagged!"

Frightened, her eyes widened as she desperately fought to control her tears.

"Leave her alone!" Alan shouted angrily at him. "Stop tormenting her!" Bashere leaned down within inches of his face and Alan jerked back reflexively staring into the man's cold eyes.

"No one tells me what to do old man." he said in a dangerously quiet voice.

"Get away from my father!" Don yelled at him, suddenly fearful for his father's safety.

Bashere glanced sideways at Alan's son. The malevolent look that he directed at Don caused the agent to break out in a sweat. Don had faced down a lot of bad criminals since he joined with the FBI, but this was the first time he had come face to face with pure evil. He swallowed as he watched the man straighten up and walk around his father's chair to get to him. Don tried to prepare himself as the man stopped behind his chair but he couldn't stop an involuntary flinch when the Frenchman spoke.

He was very surprised, howver, when Bashere's words were directed at someone else. "Search his room, you know what I want."

One of the gunmen nodded his head and left without a word. Everyone around the table followed the sound of his footsteps as they went up the stairs and along the hallway.

Bashere walked around Don and selected a table chair without arms. He pulled it over next to the agent and turned it around so that he could straddle it and face him.

"What is he looking for?" Don asked after a loud thump was heard coming from upstairs.

Bashere ignored him and crossed his arms over the top of the chair. He leaned forward and rested his chin on his arms and silently studied the agent's face. At length he commented.

"You should really do something about that temper of yours, Don." He paused to add emphasis to his next sentence. "It could get you killed one of these days." His eyes drifted over to the agent's father. "Tell me Alan, was he always like this?"

Alan just swallowed nervously and refused to say anything. Bashere was sitting way to close to his son and he was afraid he would say something that would cause another angry outburst or worse from him.

The Frenchman motioned to the man that had taken Don's gun and stretched out his hand for the weapon. His cohort handed it over without a word.

Bashere carefully examined the gun and switched off the safety mechanism. He slid the barrel of the gun along the agent's arm to the top of his shoulder and with his finger on the trigger, he slowly slid it across Don's shoulder and brought it to rest underneath his right collarbone. Holding it there he brought his eyes up to meet those of the restrained agent.

Don felt an involuntary shudder pass through his body as the gun came to rest against his chest and as he stared into the eyes of the madman in front of him, he knew in his heart, that if Bashere pulled that trigger, this night would be his last.

There was a sudden plea from the elder Eppes and the Frenchman shifted his gaze.

"No…please….don't hurt him." Alan face had turned a ghostly white as he watched the man hold the gun against his son's chest.

Don almost succeeded at keeping his voice steady. "Stay out of this Dad."

"Yes, Daddy." Bashere said, his voice dripping with sarcasm "Stay out of it, this is between your son and me."

Turning his attention back to Don he continued to taunt him..

"I've spent a lot of time trying to decide the best way to make you pay for shooting me."

He watched Don closely, trying to gauge his reactions, wanting him to suffer as he had from the gunshot wound.

"I could just pull this trigger right at this spot, and you would know how much pain that you inflicted upon me." he said as he shoved the gun barrel roughly into the agent's chest.

Don grunted from the pain but clinched his jaw, refusing to give the Frenchman any satisfaction. He held is breath in anticipation of the oncoming bullet.

However, Bashere continued to talk instead of pulling the trigger.

"You must have nine lives…you and your team." he said as he glanced at Megan. "You successfully escaped all of my traps with only minor injuries. I'm impressed …that was no small feat. I should applaud your skills.." and he set the gun down on the table and clapped his hands lightly together.

"You are a sick man!" the agent angrily retorted. Bashere was toying with him, he felt like a mouse being batted around by a cat. "You should get some professional help!"

Don's comment had apparently struck a nerve. Bashere reacted so quickly that the agent didn't have a chance to prepare himself for the attack. The man backhanded him with such force that his head hit the back of the chair with a loud crack. Pain shot through his head as his vision began to darken around the edges. His head drooped forward and came to rest on his chest. He didn't pass out, although, for a moment there Don thought he would. As the dull throbbing at the back of his skull slowly began to diminish he raised his head. Don could feel blood dripping from the corner of his mouth as he stared at Bashere.

"Now, now, Agent Eppes, look what you've made me do." The man's demeanor had quickly changed again and now he was acting as if nothing had happened.

Bashere picked up a napkin from the table and dabbed at the restrained man's forehead.

Don flinched at his touch and turned his head away as he quietly said. "Don't touch me." He couldn't afford to anger the man anymore, he had to try and remain calm if he was going to get all of them out of this alive. "_I have to keep a level head_." he told himself.

"You and your brother are a lot a like, he doesn't like to be touched either, but surely you don't mind if I wipe the sweat from your brow."

"I said, don't touch me!" Don hissed between his teeth.

Delighted at the agent's reaction, the Frenchman laughed and put the napkin down on the table. Tormenting the agent was proving to be more entertaining than he had anticipated and he had decided on a better way to get his revenge, one that would make him suffer a lot longer than a bullet. With that in mind he turned to Alan.

"You have a lot of photographs of your family all around the house. I must say that is quite a collection ." He paused to consider his next words. "You must be very proud of your sons."

"I am." Alan's voice shook a little as he answered but he clenched his jaw and added pasionately. "There good men...both of them."

"Well then, at least you will have a lot of good memories of your youngest son." Bashere casually remarked. "Actually, I noticed that you don't have very many current pictures of him... tsk, tsk." he admonished Alan. "It would appear that you have become remiss in that area so I've graciously decided to share a few of my photographs with you, after all, after tonight you will never see him again."

He pulled an envelope from his jacket pocket and opened it, revealing a handful of photographs. He spread them out on the table in front of Don and Alan. There were pictures of Charlie getting out of his car, one taken through his office window while he was working on an equation and wearing his headphones, oblivious to the world, and there were more. Charlie with Don and Alan in the backyard, and the last one he put on the table was of Charlie and Amita kissing on a hillside. "This one you may wish to give to the young woman but I'll leave that up to you."

Alan visibly shuddered at the man's words and was speechless as he gazed at all of the photographs. Charlie had been right all along, this madman had been following him. Bashere could have taken his youngest son at anytime. His face paled and he swallowed hard, looking up into the cold eyes of the Frenchman.

"How can you be so cruel?" Don asked angrily, forgetting his attempt to remain calm.

"I seem to recall your brother asking me that very question."

"What was your answer?" Megan inquired warily. She had to get his focus off of Don before her friend provoked the man and got himself killed. Megan was aware that Bashere's mood could change drastically in just a split second .

Bashere swiveled his head and locked eyes with her.

"_Pure evil_," Megan thought as she locked gazes with the Frenchman. Cold brown eyes returned her stare and she could suddenly hear her heart beating loudly in her ears, but she didn't back down. Showing weakness now could get her killed.

"Considering that I am bored at the moment and have nothing better to do, I shall humor you and answer your question."

Instead of answering though, his hand went to the snack tray that Alan had put on the table. Picking through it, he picked up a cube of cheese and popped it into his mouth, followed by some crackers and olives.

"H'mm, I didn't realize how hungry I was." Bashere spied the cake and picked up a table knife as he rose from his chair. He held the knife in his hand, studying the cake before he cut a slice from the center of it. He glanced at Don and Alan and his lips turned upward in a cruel smile as he placed the slice of cake on the table.

Alan gasped when he realized the significance of that particular slice of cake. He had deliberately cut out the piece with Charlie's name written on it and his reason for doing it was apparent to everyone. Bashere was playing with them, showing them the he was going to cut Charlie out of their lives forever. Alan shared an anguished look with Don as his koi metaphor came back to haunt him.

Bashere had found the champagne bottle and placed it beside his plate. He took a bite of the cake and popped the cork on the bottle. As he was pouring himself a glass of the bubbling liquid the man that he had sent upstairs returned carrying a tee shirt in his hand.

"Is this is?" he asked as he gave it to his boss.

"Yes, now go keep an eye on the driveway. We don't want our young friend surprising us, do we:"

Don recognized the shirt, it was the one that he had given his brother for his birthday. It had the math symbol for Pi on the front of it and E equals Eppes on the back. "What do you want with Charlie's shirt?"

Bashere ignored him and laid the shirt on the table.. They all sat in silence as he poured himself a glass of champagne and finished off the cake.

"Not the best I've ever tasted, but for now it will have to suffice." He winked at Don and added. " Dr. Eppes and I will share a much better vintage a little later tonight."

His appetite now sated , the Frenchman returned to their conversation. "Let's see, now…. where were we?" He asked as he poured himself another drink.

"Would you care for a sip?" he held his glass up to the agent's lips.

Don pulled his head back and shook his head no.

This elicited a wicked laugh from Bashere and he saluted Don with his glass and took another drink himself.

"Just like your brother. Did you know that he was dying of thirst but refused to take a drink from my hand and insisted that I release his own hands." He grinned at the agent and leaned forward until his face was closer to him. "He was quite stubborn about it really. But I digress, don't I? I believe the question was "How can I be so cruel?"

He leaned back and looked around the table. "The definition of cruelty depends upon your own perspective. From your point of view what I am going to do is immoral; taking the professor against his will, forcing him to live the life that I choose for him is in your eyes cruel." he paused and took another sip of champagne.

" I do not suffer your moral outrage, fortunately I was born without that annoying little gene. I do not feel remorse, it is an emotion that is totally foreign to me, and for this I am extremely grateful." He faked a shudder. "I cannot even imagine going through life like you people...why I would postively choke with all ot the restraints and rules that you have." Bashere lip curled as he sneered at them. "Why, that would take all of the fun away, wouldn't it?

His voice took on a more sobering tone and as he glanced around the table at each one of them, he narrowed his eyes and somehow they appeared colder. "In my life there is only one thing that is important and that is me. As I once told Dr. Eppes, nothing else is matters...except me."

The man that was watching the driveway hurried into the room. "There's a car coming."

Bashere's head snapped up and Don could see the eager glint in his eyes as he asked. "Is it him?"

Don silently prayed that it wasn't Charlie. " _Please let it be someone else." _but his heart sank as a voice called out from the family room.

"It's him, it's the Professor!"

"Quickly, both of you hide, let him come in and then come up behind him."

Bashere picked up Don's gun and moved his chair around until he was right beside of the agent Touching the barrel to Don's temple, he glared around the table making sure he had eye contact with everyone. "If anyone calls out, I will pull this trigger and Alan Eppes will lose both of his sons tonight."

He leaned his face closer to Don's and added. "If you call out, I'll put a bullet right between your father's eyes."

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Charlie turned down his street and glanced at his watch. The trip from the florist to his house had taken him under twelve minutes ; that had to be a new record for LA. He smiled at that thought as he pulled into his driveway and parked behind his father's car. As he opened his car door he remembered that his phone had fallen to the floor and he bent down to retrieve it. He had put it down on the seat after his talk with Amita and soon after had swerved to miss another car. The phone had slipped to the floor and as luck would have it, it had started to ring while it was out of his reach.

He flipped it open and found three missed calls from Don. Checking the times he determined that Don had called once while he was in his meeting, the second time was when the phone was on the floor and the third happened while he was in the florist shop. He glanced at his brother's SUV and grinned. _"Oh, well," _he thought to himself, " _Don would just have to tell him the news in person ."_

Charlie dropped the phone into his jacket pocket and quickly opened the rear door of his car. He carefully removed the box of roses and after slinging his bag over his shoulder he hurried to the front door.


	19. Chapter 19

-1

Obsession

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: A special thank you to everyone that has reviewed. Until I posted my first story, I never realized how important the reviews were to the author. Your reviews are the only way that we can tell if we have succeeded in our attempt to write a good story and I truly appreciate each and everyone of them.

**Sun Tsu - The Art of War**

**Attack where they are not prepared, go out to where they do not expect. **

Chapter 19:

Charlie burst through the door, excitement hastening his footsteps.

"Hey guys, sorry I'm late." he called out as he slid his bag to the floor and set the box of roses on the foyer table. He spared a glance at the dining room as he shrugged out of his blazer and his eyes brightened at the sight of the festive decorations.

"Dad, this look's great ." he called out again as he picked up the rose box and strode toward the dining room.

"You must have worked--." he stopped in mid-sentence and with a sudden in-take of breath, his exuberant mood changed to one of alarm as he stepped into the room.

Charlie stared at the masked man holding the gun to his brother's head and his line of thought failed him. He didn't even notice when the rose box fell from his nerveless fingers, scattering it's delicate contents across the floor. His dark eyes clouded with fear and swallowing hard he stammered. "What…what's going on here?" No one answered, and all was hushed and still around the table.

Charlie spun around at the sound of approaching footsteps and stepped backwards, bumping into a chair, as the two masked gunmen stepped into the room, both of them pointing automatic pistols in his direction. Stunned, he turned back to the gunman sitting beside of Don.

"What do you want?" he tried again, fighting to keep his voice steady.

A quiet sob escaped Amita and his eyes drifted toward her. His heart sank as he saw the tears running down her cheeks and suddenly afraid that she had been hurt, he moved instinctively toward her. He had only taken a few steps forward when a cold voice stopped him.

"Stay where you are Professor, or your brother dies."

Charlie eyes widened in fear as he whirled around to face the gunman. The voice, there was something familiar about that voice. His heart pounded in his chest but he stayed where he was and his brow creased with worry as he stared at the gunman's hand, terrified that at any moment he might squeeze the trigger.

He forced his eyes from the gun to his brother's face and saw a mixture of fear and anger within his brown eyes. The young man's gaze drifted to his father and surprise crossed his own features when he stared into Alan's frightened eyes and found tears glistening on his lashes.

Charlie gazed around the table. Larry's eyes were wide with fear and disbelief and he could tell that his friend was trying to deal with the situation on some higher level. Megan's expression seemed to mirror that of his brother's , although he could see a hint of tears around the corners of her eyes. Charlie felt his knees weaken when he looked at the woman he loved. Arms taped to her chair, she looked back at him with tears flowing freely down her cheeks . Her eyes held such a profound look of loss in them that they took his breath away.

Charlie glanced back and forth at the silent and somber face of the people that meant more to him than life itself and his heart sank even lower at the realization that in a split second he could lose them all. The gunman moved and Charlie's eyes snapped back to watch him. Silently, afraid that even the slightest sound might cost him his brother's life, he warily watched the man stand up and walk toward him.

Bashere casually lowered the gun and laid it on the table. He rose from his chair and approached the young man, deliberately crushing the roses beneath his feet. Purposely grinding the rosebuds that he stepped on with the heel of shoe and ripping the fragile petals to shreds. Charlie's note lay among the scattered roses on the floor and he stopped to pick it up. Bashere didn't stop again until he was standing directly in front of the young man. He opened the note and read the message that had been intended for Amita and then watched the Professor's face closely as he said.

"This is so very touching Dr. Eppes." he said with a sneer. "However, at this point, I fear it would only bring her more heartache if she were allowed to read it." he paused and his mouth turned upward in a smile. " After all, she may have your heart and soul….but your mind and body belong to me."

Slowly he shredded the note into pieces and let them fall to the floor where they joined the remnants of the crushed roses.

Charlie felt as though everything was moving in slow-motion as he watched the pieces of his note float to the floor. He shook his head, looking bewildered, still trying to comprehend what was happening, but as the last of the pieces hit the floor he slowly raised his head. Charlie's eyes flashed angrily as he identified the tall masked man standing in front of him.

"Nooooooooooooo!" he roared as recognition and rage flooded his senses.

To the surprise of everyone , Charlie's balled up fist hit Bashere squarely on the jaw with enough force to send him reeling backwards. The Frenchman saved himself from falling by catching hold of the table and steadying himself, causing the table to shake violently from his effort. Glasses and dishes collided and broke with loud crashes. One of the champagne glasses rolled and hit the floor adding the sound of shattering glass to the cacophony of sounds as Charlie struggled with Bashere's henchmen.

As soon as Charlie hit Bashere the two men behind him surged forward and grabbed his arms pinning them behind his back. But that didn't stop him, Charlie was so enraged that he continued to fight them. He kicked and screamed at them to let him go until Bashere strode forward in a furious rage himself and slapped him hard on the side of the face. His head snapped to the side and he would have fallen from the sheer force of the blow if the men weren't still holding him up. His face stung and his head was pounding from Bashere's attack. The throbbing in his head was so loud that he could barely hear his family and friends yelling for Bashere to stop. He squeezed his eyes shut in an effort to stop the throbbing and sagged against his two assailants until he could get his feet back under him.

The room suddenly went silent, during which Charlie pulled himself together and straightened up to look Bashere full in the face. The blow still stung but he refused to let the Frenchman see that he had hurt him.

Bashere rubbed his own jaw and silently studied the young man in front of him. The bright red print of his hand was clearly visible on Charlie's cheek but the dazed look from the blow had faded from his eyes. He hadn't intended to hurt him but he had lost his temper and it was only at the last minute that he had opened his hand instead of hitting him with his fist.

"Touche', my dear boy." He moved closer and Charlie tried to step back but was held in place by the man's cohorts. " It seems I might have underestimated you."

Charlie's moment of rage seemed to have past and now he just stood there silently, defiantly, facing a man that he had hoped he would never meet again.

"I killed the last man that touched me, Professor." he said , narrowing the space between them even further. "How do you think that I should punish you?" his voice had grown husky and he stretched out a hand to finger a curl that had fallen over the young man's left eye.

Charlie recoiled and gritted his teeth. "Kill me then and get it over it!" he shouted and his struggles became more desperate as Bashere's hand ran through his curls. "Don't touch me!" he hissed.

"Get your hands of him!" Don shouted at Bashere, struggling to loosen the tape that held him to the chair.

Alan cried out in alarm. "Let go of my son!" and then as an afterthought he added. "Charlie…no…don't anger him, he might hurt you again."

"I don't care!" his son retorted, terrified of the salacious look in Bashere's eyes. The man's face was much too close to his and he turned his head aside, recoiling from his touch.

Undaunted by the look of revulsion on the young man's face the Frenchman slid his hand to the back of Charlie's head and grabbed a handful of hair, forcing him to stay face to face with him.

A look of pure hatred crossed Charlie's face and he rasped. "I'd rather die than go with you!"

Bashere stared into Charlie's eyes and then reluctantly released his hold on the young man's curls but let his hand slide down to his shoulder.

"I have a proposition for you Professor." his hand caressed the young man's shoulder. "I will let everyone around this table live if you agree to come with me peacefully."

"Release him and step back." Bashere ordered his henchmen. "One of you go and watch the driveway, after all we don't want any surprise visitors." Both men immediately let go of Charlie's arms and moved away, one of them left to follow Bashere's orders.

The color drained from the young man's face as he stared into the man's eyes. Charlie swallowed and glanced at his family and friends, tied helplessly to their chairs, no way to defend themselves. How had it come to this? Ten minutes ago his life had limitless possibilities and now it was spiraling away from him, downward, into a dark abyss.

Bashere had a hand on each of his shoulders now and was slowly letting them slide down the length of his arms and back up again.

"Come with me peacefully and I will let them live." he said softly. "I will prove to you that I can be merciful but I warn you, fight me any further and I will kill them all." he paused to give him time to consider. "It will be your decision if they live or die. What is your answer?"

Charlie lowered his head, his mind desperately seeking a way out of this, cringing at the man's touch. Eventually, however, he could only come to one conclusion.

Sweat was forming on his lower lip as Charlie raised his head and once again stared into the cold eyes of Bashere. He had no choice, the man would surely kill his family and everyone that he cared about. The only way he could help them was to surrender his own life to a man that he despised. He could feel the bile rising in his throat at the thought of it.

A sudden spark of hope lit up his heart. There was a way out for his loved ones and for himself, just not one he would have chosen under any other circumstances. A two-step solution to this problem. The first step was to get this madman away from his family and the second step would be the final solution. Bashere would never have another reason to threaten the people that Charlie cared about again.

"Can I at least tell them good-bye?" he inquired softly, his shoulders slumping in defeat.

Bashere smiled. "I knew you would come to your senses. Very well, Professor., I will give you a few minutes to say your good-bye's but I will expect you to do as I say and come along quietly." he ran a finger along Charlie's red cheek. "Do we have a deal?"

"No….no, Charlie," Don called out. "Don't listen to him!"

He ignored his brother and continued to stare at Bashere., forcing himself to stand still and let the man touch him. "Yes-- yes--I'll do it."

"Good." he said , patting his shoulder one last time before he released him. " Oh, just one more thing," he twisted around to pick something up from the table, "put this on." When he turned back he was holding one of Charlie's tee shirts in his outstretched hand.

"What?"

The last few minutes had been an emotional roller-coaster for Charlie and disbelief now reflected in his brown eyes. He couldn't believe his ears, the man had to be certifiable. Charlie had no intention of undressing and becoming some sort of "boy-toy" for Bashere. The self defense course he had been taking with the FBI had given him some excellent side effects. According to Amita, he had trimmed and toned his muscles to the point where she would jokingly tell him that she couldn't let him out of her sight.

Anger and then defiance crossed his features. He stared Bashere in the eye and set his jaw as he refused. "No."

Bashere tilted his head slightly to the side and studied the young man. "I thought we had a deal. Perhaps I need to remind you of the stakes involved." he pulled a small pistol from his pocket and pointed it at Amita;s head.

"Wait! Okay! Fine….I'll do it!" he yelled as a surge of panic engulfed him. Charlie hastily unbuttoned his shirt and angrily shrugged out of it, letting it drop unceremoniously to the floor. Panting, he stretched out his hand toward the older man. "Give me the dam shirt!"

Bashere kept the gun pointed at Amita with one hand and slowly appraised the young man before releasing the shirt to him.

Flushed and embarrassed Charlie snatched it out of his hand and quickly donned the shirt. "Okay… now put the gun away." he desperately pleaded.

Bashere smiled at him and slid the gun back into his pocket. He turned to his cohort. "Watch him, let him say goodbye. I'm going in the next room and finalize our travel arrangements."

Charlie eyes were filled with hatred as he watched the man leave the room, a feeling of defilement ran through him and he shuddered. Pulling himself together he slowly walked toward Amita. He knelt down so he could embrace her and taking her face in his hands he gently pushed her hair back and wiped away her tears.

"Amita," he whispered. "Are you okay? I'm so sorry this happened. I promise I'll get you out of this." he kissed her lips. "I love you so much."

"Oh, Charlie." she whispered back. "This isn't your fault. I'm so scared for you--that man is insane."

He searched her eyes before he spoke again. "Mita, promise me…promise me that you'll find someone else….someday." he touched his forehead to hers as she shook her head no. "Please….I don't want you to live your life alone."

He kissed her on the lips, a long passionate kiss that he could savor and remember but as he started to pull back she pressed her lips harder against his, not wanting the contact to be broken, It took all of his strength to break away but he slowly pulled his lips from hers and stood up, forcing himself to turn away from her as she whispered his name over and over again.

Charlie stopped by Megan's chair and bent down to squeeze her hand. "Your friendship has meant a great deal to me." his eyes met hers. "I just wanted you to know that."

Her eyes were full of unshed tears as she answered. "I treasure your friendship Charlie…I always will."

He squeezed her hand again and moved around her chair to Larry's.

Larry spoke first. "Don't…I won't let you do this. Think, Charles, there must be a way out of this. We'll apply one of your equations and work this out…..ah…what about chaos theory….or "

"Larry."

"or…or…you can design one.."

Clearly distressed the older professor rambled on denying the possibility of the impending outcome of the evenings events. Charlie had only seem him act like this one other time and that had happened when Megan had been kidnapped a few years before. He didn't have much time and he couldn't let his friend continue to ramble on.

"Larry!" He admonished loudly.

Startled the older man stopped talking and sadly gazed at his dear friend.

"Charles…Charles…this can't be happening." he whispered.

The young man squeezed his shoulder and gave him a sad smile. "Thank you for everything….for being my teacher and my friend." he quietly responded as he turned away and his steps became heavier as he approached the two people that meant more to him than his own life.

He knelt down beside his father's chair and covered his hands with his own. Alan's eyes were filled with worry and fear for his youngest and his hands trembled slightly as he lost himself in his son's expressive eyes.

Charlie's voice was thick as he spoke. "Dad…I…ah….this is so hard." The young man ducked his head for a moment and took a shaky breath. Raising his head again he whispered. "I can't say goodbye…I don't want to go…but I don't have a choice" he paused to clear his throat. "Promise me that you'll move on with your life, you and Don…. and ….and could you help Amita, too.. I know I shouldn't ask this of you, and I'm sure it won't be an easy thing for you to do but please Dad, I need you to do this for me."

Alan's shoulders slumped and he answered in a quavering voice. "Charlie, your talking like I'll never see you again."

"Dad… please….there isn't much time." Charlie pleaded desperately.

Alan closed his eyes momentarily to gather himself at his son's urgent pleas. When he opened them again he tried to be more positive. "I will try son, but listen to me, you can't give up. Do you hear me Charlie? Don't you give up because we're not going too...we won't stop until we find you."

Charlie rose slowly to his feet and bent to hug his father, whispering in his ear "I love you Dad."

"Oh, my son, my dear son, my heart is breaking. I love you too Charlie." he whispered back .

The young man paused behind his brother's chair to collect himself before he turned the chair next to him around so that they could sit face to face. He didn't know how much time he had left so he had to hurry before it was too late.

Dismayed at the sight of the bruise forming on his brother's cheek the young man momentarily froze. Swallowing hard he looked around the table for a clean napkin and dipped it in Don's water glass. He gently wiped the blood from his brother's mouth and chin.

"I'm so sorry Don." he said softly.

"This isn't your fault Charlie, none of this is." his brother quickly retorted.

Don's anguished voice echoed through his mind as he twisted the napkin nervously in his hands. Charlie looked into his brother's worry-filled eyes and lost his thought for a moment. He had to put this in a way that no one else would know and still get it across to Don; he needed his approval if he was going to have the strength to carry out his decision. All his life he had yearned for the kind of relationship that he now shared with his brother; mutual respect for one another, love and true friendship. It just wasn't fair to have that taken from him now.

Sighing, he took a deep breath, and placed his hand on top of his brothers hand.

"Don, words can't express how important you are to me." A small smile started to form on his face as he added. "If I had time I might be able to come up with a mathematical expression to show you. I could call it the Don Eppes variation." This didn't quite get the reaction he was hoping for as a sad smile formed on his brother's face.

"Charlie…"

"No, Don please let me finish. Dad will need you more than ever now and you will need him too. If the two of you stay close, you'll be able to get through this." he paused and tried to swallow, only to realize how dry his throat had become.

He leaned closer and his voice lowered to almost a whisper. "Don, I need to know that you'll understand what I have to do." He tried to convey his meaning through his eyes. "_Come on Don, I know you'll figure it out."_ he thought to himself. When Don didn't respond he tried again. "I need to know that you'll forgive me."

Don"s eyes widened and his face paled at his brother's words as he vaguely remembered a conversation the two of them had shared a few months after the kidnapping. " _I decided to do the only logical thing considering the circumstances." _

Don desperately tried to speed up his thought process, trying to recall exactly what his brother had told him. Suddenly, in a flash of memory it came back to him, Charlie had said if they hadn't found him in time he was "_going_ t_o take himself out of the equation_." That was it, " _Oh, my God, he's going to kill himself!"_

He recognized the look of resolve in his brother's eyes and knew that he would go through with it this time. In a near panic he began to plead with his younger brother, keeping his voice so low that only Charlie and his father could hear him.

A look of horror was spreading over Alan's features as he listened to his older son's panic stricken voice as he pleaded with Charlie, guessing all too clearly the content of their conversation.

"Charlie…no…don't do it." Don whispered desperately. "I'll find you-- I swear I will but you have to give me some time to find you. Please, Buddy, please say you'll give me time."

The cold voice of Bashere interrupted them.

"It's time to go Professor."

A shudder coursed through the young man's body as his shoulders sagged and his head bowed. Taking a deep breath he started to rise but as he began to pull his hand from his brothers, Don's fingers tightened it's hold on him and he wouldn't let go.

Charlie sadly looked into his brother's eyes and watched as a single tear worked it's way down his cheek He reached over with his free hand and gently wiped the tear away.

Don whispered frantically, "I understand….but please ….give me some time to find you before you….before…" his voice broke before he could say the words.

Relief and appreciation showed in Charlie's eyes as he heard the words that his heart needed to hear from his brother. A small smile touched his lips and as he reluctantly pulled his hand free he bent over and hugged him whispering "Thanks, I love you Donnie."

"I love you too, Buddy." Don whispered back, his voice breaking up with emotion..

Charlie straightened up and wiped away his own tears before he turned around to face Bashere.

"I'm ready" his sudden resolve lending strength to his voice.

On leaden legs he walked over to join a man that he had come to both fear and despise.

He straightened his shoulders and faced the man , no longer afraid, determined to follow through on his decision a the first opportunity.

Charlie's heart was racing as he fought to gain control of his emotions. He tried to be more stoic, like his brother and he clenched his jaw, causing the muscles in his cheek to twitch reflexively in response to the pressure. He had to stick his hands in his pockets to hide his balled up fists.

"You won't hurt them?" he asked anxiously.

Bashere stepped closer and Charlie tried not to flinch as he once again placed a hand on each of his shoulders.

"I told you that I wouldn't. After all, we need to establish some trust between us, do we not?"

Charlie swallowed, forcing himself to remain still and maintain eye contact with the man. After all, this was his fault, despite what Don had said and he knew that he would never forgive himself if something happened to one of them because of him. He didn't move when the man caressed his cheek, telling himself that he could do this long enough to get this madman away from his family; he would endure anything to keep them safe.

Bashere released him and stepped back. He pulled a small rectangular box from his pocket and opened it, revealing a vial and a syringe.

Charlie's took a step back, immediately recognizing what the box meant. His face became deathly pale and his heart quickened .

"What are you doing?" he asked, panic rising in his voice. "I said I would go with you, you don't need that!"

Bashere ignored him as he placed the case on the table and removed the syringe. He inserted the needle into the vial withdrawing a small amount of the liquid. He squirted a little of the liquid from the end of it and turned back toward the young professor.

"It's nothing to worry about, my dear boy, just a mild sedative to help you sleep for a little while."

Sheer panic showed in those expressive brown eyes now and he continued to back away, his wide eyes glued to the the syringe. His heart was pounding so loudly that he barely heard his brother's yells, Amita's screams or his father pleading voice asking for the man to stop. Bashere's henchmen once again grabbed him from behind but Charlie's terror lent him strength and he fought them. For a moment it looked as if Charlie's self-defense classes were going to pay off but he was no match for the two of them. They pushed him back against the wall and pinned his arms and legs to prevent any movement.

"No …no….don't do this…no drugs!." he gasped as one of the men held his arm out so Bashere could insert the needle. Desperately he called out to his brother. "Donnie….help…" his breathing had become so rapid that he could hardly get any words out. .

Charlie's heart filled with terror as he felt the liquid spread through his body. He fought it's effects as long as he could but as all conscious thought began to fade away and his vision began to blur the last thing that he saw was his brother struggling to get out of his chair, desperately calling out his name.

Despite his efforts to stay awake, his eyes fluttered and then closed as his body surrendered to the effects of the sedative.


	20. Chapter 20

Obsession

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews. I am going on vacation this Friday and will not have access to a computer so there will be a delay in the posting of the next chapter. I will post it as soon as I return on the 4th of August.

"**The best laid schemes of mice and men/often go awry." **

**John Steinbeck**

Chapter 20:

Colby glanced at his watch and went back to scanning his e-mail. It was 6:15 p.m. and he and David were supposed to be on their way over to Charlie's house. Don and Megan had left at four thirty to catch up with the professor at CalSci before heading back to the craftsman. The photographs that Lt. Walker had brought over had put them all on edge and until they knew otherwise, Charlie was going into protective custody. That was the main reason that Don and Meagan had left so early.

"Nothing useful." he mumbled and signed out of his e-mail. The investigation had come to a standstill anyway and unless that data run provided a name for them soon, the perp was probably going to skip town. That's why David and Colby were still hanging around, Agent Stendhauser had predicted that the run should be finished by five thirty, which had already come and gone.

Frustrated , David had decided to give Agent Hendricks one more try for the photo of the third body from the drug bust and had left mumbling something about a "mole" within the department. That was part of the discussion the four of them had started after Charlie had left that afternoon. Someone within the agency had to have downloaded the virus into Hendrick's and the coroner's computers and with the tight security on the FBI systems, it was only logical that it had to be an inside job. Internal Affairs was already looking into the matter but so far their investigation had not yielded any suspects, at least none had been shared with Don's team.

Colby looked up as the elevator came to a stop and watched as his partner hurried toward him. Something was wrong, he could tell by the expression on his face and he stood up as David arrived breathlessly at his desk.

"What is it?" he asked, his brow creasing with concern.

"This….this is what is wrong." he thrust the picture that he was carrying into his partner's hand. "The tech's finally cleared up the virus-- take a look at this!"

Colby's eyebrows shot up as he looked back at David. "Crap! It looks just like him."

David had his cell phone out and was dialing. "Paparazzi my ass!" he muttered as he held the phone to his ear. " Same height and weight, throw in the curly brown hair and you've got a double for Charlie." he shook his head irritably. "No answer." he glanced at his partner. "Recognize that tee shirt? It's just like the one that Don gave him for his birthday last year."

Stunned, Colby stared at the picture. "Charlie's been the target all along…but who?"

"Come on, let's get over there." David muttered heatedly, grabbing his jacket.

Colby made a dive for his windbreaker and quickly followed Sinclair toward the elevators. He had just pressed the button when he heard someone calling out his name and turned just as Agent Stendhauser came running up to them

"Agent Granger…Agent Granger…wait!" She breathlessly handed him a folder.

"You need to see this right away!" she gasped., taking a moment to catch her breath. "This data run should have finished up hours ago but someone planted a virus into my system and it took me a while to find it and take it out."

"You need to report that to Wright right away, he's already started looking for the responsible party." Colby advised.

She nodded her head in agreement. "I already have."

Colby opened the folder and as David read over his shoulder his eyes widened in near panic. "Shit! Megan said we were dealing with a psychopath but did it have to be this one?"

David reached behind him and pressed the elevator buttons repeatedly. "Come on, come on!" he muttered. The door finally opened and they quickly jumped in but Colby stopped the doors long enough to ask Agent Stendhauser if she was still going to be around if they needed her later.

"Just call me if you need anything." she called out as the elevator doors closed and made it's way down to the lobby.

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Bashere was euphoric; he had tried most of the "so-called pleasure drugs" in his lifetime but he was certain that none of them had ever given him the "high" that he was feeling at that very moment. He glanced sideways at the people around the table, distress visibly showing on their faces, but he didn't care, their anguished cries only fueled his heightened state to the point where he felt intoxicated. He followed their eyes to the unconscious man that was pinned against the wall.

"Put him in the car, careful now, I don't want him hurt."

Don watched helplessly as the two men maneuvered Charlie's body over the shoulder of one of them. The man straightened up, adjusting the limp body to a more secure position before turning to leave.

"You son of a bitch!" Don bellowed, still struggling against the tape. "You didn't have to do that to him!" his voice broke. "He was going with you."

Alan cried out in anguish, desperately pleading with Bashere not to take his son.

"Just a moment." The Frenchman said and approached Charlie's limp form ignoring Don and Alan's outbursts.

Bashere put a hand to the professor's neck feeling for a pulse. Satisfied that the man was just sleeping he started to pull away but couldn't resist running his fingers through Charlie's curls . His "high" intensified and his grin broadened even further as watched the expressions on the faces of Charlie's family and friends.

"Take him out and get everything ready." he reluctantly released his hold on the Professor. He didn't want to let go of him, he felt "whole" when he touched him, as if they were one. " I'll be out in a moment."

"You bastard!" Larry shouted, his normally calm features now distorted by his rage. "How can you possibly justify what you are doing to him?"

Bashere moved toward the table. "You haven't been paying attention Professor. I've already told you that I don't abide by your rules…. remember?" he was amused, they could hear it in his voice. "If this were a class, I would have to fail you."

"So now what?" Megan retorted angrily.. "Are you going to kill us?"

"I thought you were supposed to be the calm one, Agent Reeves, you disappoint me." he said sarcastically. "No, I'm not going to kill you. I told the Professor I would let you live and that is what I intend to do."

"Why?" Don was beyond all reason, he had to keep them there, he couldn't let them leave. "I thought you wanted revenge because I shot you."

"Oh, I do, and believe me I intend to have my revenge but in a different way…..one that will last your whole lifetime, Agent Eppes."

He walked toward the agent and stopped by his chair. "I have devised the perfect revenge. You see Don, you will never see your brother again, you'll never know where he is or what he is doing, whether he is alive or dead." he watched the agent's face closely as he spoke, noting with satisfaction the pain in his dark eyes that seemed to intensify with each word. " You'll live the rest of your life knowing that you failed him, that you couldn't prevent me from taking him. That is going to be your punishment." Bashere's knew his words had hit home when the color drained from the agent's face and he looked away.

Alan was shocked, how could this man possibly know that about Don. "You heartless bastard!" he spat out.

"I'm surprised at you Alan, I should think that you would be a little grateful." Bashere said with mock surprise in his voice.

A look of disbelief crossed the older man features. "Grateful, you sick son of a bitch, why in the hell would I be grateful to you. Your kidnapping my son!"

Bashere kept his face impassive as he walked behind the agent's chair. He casually stroked the man's hair and laughed as Don tried to pull his head away from his touch.

"Your are right of course." he said addressing Alan. "But I have left you this one alive, have I not?"

"You're not fooling anyone Bashere." Don angrily retorted. "The only reason that we are still alive is because it will give you some leverage over Charlie!"

Bashere turned suddenly, roughly pulling Don's chair around so he could face him. He pushed the agent's head back against the chair and leaned within inches of his face.

"It would please me a great deal to put a bullet right here." he said as his forefinger pushed at a spot in the middle of Don's forehead.

Don winced from the pain and closed his eyes as the pressure against his forehead increased . The pain stopped abruptly and he opened them again only to find that Bashere's face was still dangerously close to his..

"However, Don, I am a businessman after all, and you are more valuable to me alive…dead you serve no purpose." he straightened back up. "Fortunately, I realized this before my men detonated the explosive at the dock warehouse." he scanned the people around the table until his eyes settled on Alan.

"So, yes, you should be grateful for small favors."

Alan swallowed, or rather he tried to swallow, but his mouth was so dry that he had to settle for licking his lips. He kept silent, however, afraid to say anything more with the madman standing so close to his son.

Bashere was calm and spoke in a musing tone as he leaned his arm on the back of Don's chair.

"I have been observing all of you some time now and I have gotten to know the Professor's weaknesses, as well as your own." Arrogantly, he added. "I played my role so well that none of you even suspected who I really was. You even invited me into your home and I shared a meal with you at this very table."

Alan blanched. "No, that's not possible."

Bashere moved slowly around the table, ignoring Alan completely. "You must know your enemy to defeat him." he stopped behind Megan's chair and caught Don's eye. "Don't you agree Agent Eppes?"

Don studied him closely. There was nothing familiar except his eyes and voice and yet…."You've had plastic surgery, haven't you? That was why you said the mask was for our protection…if we saw your face now, you would kill us."

Bashere grinned but it never touched his eyes. "Let's just say that when I leave here you will not be able to trace me. Henri Bashere no longer exists."

He continued his walk around the table, past Amita who was sobbing uncontrollably now, toward Don. "You are distracting me from my story. Where was I? Oh, yes….you trusted me and we spoke of mundane occurrences. We ate and laughed together and you never suspected a thing. Quite a performance, wouldn't you say?" he laughed and added smugly. "In this town I believe it would be called "Oscar worthy."

The agent just stared at the man trying to access his mental stability. The way his emotions flashed back and forth so quickly, he was afraid that one of them might end up dead after all.

"You gave me the information that I needed to control him. All of you are his weakness, but especially you Agent Eppes." Bashere was full of confidence and he just had to tighten the screws a little bit more. " His big brother, the one that he looks up too. It's a pity you weren't able to live up to his expectations." he was standing in front of the agent once again. "In time, I will take your place and more. I will become his world and you and everyone here will just become a distant memory."

Charlie's cell phone rang and all heads turned toward the foyer where it lay upon the table; it rang several times and then went to voice-mail. A few seconds later Don felt his phone vibrate on his belt several times before it went still again. He glanced at Megan and could tell from her expression that someone had tried to call her as well.

The house phone suddenly rang and they all turned toward the family room. After four rings it went to voice mail and they could clearly hear the voice of Colby Granger as he left a message.

"Charlie, we think your in danger. Don and Megan aren't answering they're phones and we can't locate them. Call me back ASAP!. David and I are on our way."

Bashere smirked and looked around the table. "I think they are going to be too late, don't you."

The front door opened and one of his cohorts re-entered the house.

"Is everything ready?" Bashere asked.

"He's secure sir, we're good to go whenever you are."

"Good." he paused and looked at everyone around the table. "Tape their mouths and hurry, it seems the cavalry is on it's way."

Desperate, Alan tried to appeal to the man one last time. "Please…please…don't take my son." his voice cracked and he finished in a whisper. " don't take Charlie away." but his words fell on deaf ears and his shoulders slumped forward in despair.

The other man grabbed the roll of duct tape and started tearing strips from it, he started with Amita and quickly worked his way around the table.

Bashere moved toward the front door but turned in mid-stride, unable to resist one more taunt.

"Have a happy life, I know I will."

"Bashere! I swear I will find you! I don't care how long--" The masked man had reached Don and shoved the tape over his mouth before he could finish his sentence.

The Frenchman turned once more at the door and gave them a final salute before striding through the open doorway.

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David switched on the lights and siren as soon as they hit the road, but even with the siren blaring it was still going to take them at least twenty minutes to get to Charlie's house.

Colby closed his cell and more than a little exasperated, he turned to his partner.

"I've tried all of them and no one is answering their cells, they all go to voice mail." he grimaced. "I don't like it David. Six people, supposedly together and not one of them can answer the dam phone."

"Yeah, I agree with you, I've got a bad feeling about this." he switched lanes and glanced sideways at his partner. "Listen, didn't Walker say that he put a car on the house?"

"That's right, let me give him a call." Colby quickly dialed and spoke a few words with the lieutenant, bringing him up to speed on their latest discoveries. He closed his phone with a snap. "He's going to check in with them and get back to us."

They rode in silence for another ten minutes and then David turned off the highway at the exit for Pasadena.

"Almost there." David muttered. He cut the lights and sirens when they were within two blocks of the Craftsman house and slowed down as he put on his signal light.

David pulled onto West Adams street just as a limousine pulled out of it.

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Bashere pulled off the mask and sighed with relief. He hadn't intended on staying so long but he couldn't resist taunting the agent. He ran a comb through his hair to fluff it back up where the mask had flattened it out and pulled out a mirror from a bag that was sitting on the seat next to him. He used his fingers to push his hair back into place and noted with satisfaction that the new color suited him. His hair was exactly the same shade of brown as the only other occupant in the passenger section of the limo.

Charlie lay on his side facing toward him. His hair had fallen forward, almost completely hiding his face from view and his knees were slightly bent. One arm lay at his side while the other one dangled loosely over his chest.

With his eyes still on his guest, Bashere slipped out of his black clothing and exchanged them for a pair of jeans and a blue polo shirt. Finally, to complete his new look, he put on a pair of new sneakers.

He picked up the mirror again and took another look. Henri Bashere had disappeared and in his place was a man that no one would ever associate with the Frenchman . In another forty-five minutes they would be airborne and shortly thereafter the plane would enter international airspace and his, no that was wrong, their new life together would begin.

He moved over to the opposite seat and carefully lifted Charlie's head and torso so he could slide beneath him. He turned the young man over so that his head and the top of his shoulders were lying on his lap. The Frenchman gently pushed the curls out of his face and studied his features. He wished that Charlie would open his eyes, he loved to look into them, he always saw so much emotion there.

Charlie was so passionate about everything. Bashere mused thoughtfully; excitement, love, anger and defiance. Ruefully, he rubbed his chin and suddenly laughed out loud. "_Oh, yes, defiance! _He had actually experienced pride when his young man had fought back so valiantly.

Bashere traced the bruise on Charlie's face with regret. "You left me no choice. I had to show you that I am in charge." he whispered softly.

They belonged together, he knew it in his heart. He knew because he had never felt this way before, his heart was full to the point of bursting. He could change as long as Charlie was at his side. Besides, hadn't he already changed? He had shown mercy today, hadn't he? He had left the Professor's family & friends alive. The old Bashere would not have done that, he would not have taken that risk. Henri knew that he would have to gain Charlie's trust before he could win his love, and he wanted that love desperately. He wanted Charlie to love him the way that he loved his family, more than that, the way that he thought he loved that woman.

He let his fingers drift down to the young man's neck and then reached across his chest to the limp hand that rested on it's owners chest. He entwined the man's fingers within his own and leaning his head back against the seat, he closed his eyes, sighing contentedly.

Yes, they belonged together, Charlie would see it too. He just had to get him away from the influence of the others and he would come to realize that his true feelings were not for her but for him. As a matter of fact, he told himself, he probably already did. He was sure that he had seen love reflected in Charlie's eyes when they were standing face to face; he did love Henri as much as Henri loved him. Convincing himself that this was a true fact, Bashere smiled and ran his other hand through the young man's curls as he drifted off to sleep.

Without even realizing it, the old Bashere slipped back into place; he only saw what he wanted to see.


	21. Chapter 21

Obsession

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: I had a great vacation and I thank you for your well wishes. Chapter 21 is ready, as promised, and I hope that you will share your thoughts of the chapter with me. One final note: Please keep in mind that "Obsession" is a fictional story and my medical and law enforcement issues should not be seen as fact but are intended to further the entertainment of the story. I appreciate your reviews.

This chapter contains spoilers for "Uncertainty Principle" and "Identity Crisis"

Chapter 21

Colby thoughts were dark and foreboding as he absently watched the limo turn onto Alvara boulevard. His cell phone rang as they made the turn onto Charlie's street and the limo was forgotten.

"Granger. No, were just turning onto his street. Right, get here as soon as you can." he closed his cell phone and turned a grim face to his partner.

"That was Walker. The patrol officer that was assigned to watch Charlie's house missed his twenty minute check in."

"Why does that not surprise me." David mumbled as he brought the car to a stop in front of a house neighboring the Craftsman. The agents moved cautiously toward the front porch and stopped beside a large tree to peruse the area. It was a quiet street, most of the neighbors were still on their way home from work or staying inside to avoid the excessive heat of the afternoon. The house looked empty, quiet, with not a single person in sight. Only the cars in the driveway belied the fact that anyone was at home.

"Well, they're all here, that's for sure."

Colby scanned the street. "Yeah, and no other vehicles around, just the ones that are supposed to be here."

David posed the question. "So why aren't any of them answering their phones?" Scowling, he shook his head. "It's too quiet…I don't like it."

They exchanged worried looks and moved quietly toward the house, watching the windows for any sign of movement. Rapidly climbing the porch steps they crouched down and rose slowly to peak into the windows of the living room. Nothing. Just an empty room.

David nodded his head toward the front door and simultaneously they crouched down and crept across the porch. The agents stood up slowly, one of them on each side of the door and pulled out their guns. Colby reached for the door knob hoping that he would find it unlocked and breathed a sigh of relief seconds later as it turned and clicked open.

David grabbed his forearm. "Wait…listen."

Both agents visibly tensed and grew more anxious when they heard muffled yells and thumping noises coming from the inside of the house.

Colby glanced sideways at his partner. "Are we going to wait for Walker?"

David huffed. "What do you think?" He got a firm grip on his gun and nodded for his partner to open the door.

Their anxiety grew as Colby pushed the door open and the muffled yells and the thumping noises grew louder. Their hearts began to sink with the growing realization that they had arrived too late.

Colby surged forward. "Come on, they wouldn't be making all that noise if there was still someone here."

David grabbed his partner's sleeve and spoke quietly. "By the book Colby...you take the left side and I'll go right."

Colby reluctantly agreed and they proceeded cautiously into the room. He veered off toward the living room, gun at the ready, while his partner went right toward the dining room.

David could see Amita gagged and tied to a chair. Colby joined him and as they continued forward everyone around the table came into view and all of them were thumping their chairs up and down on the floor and trying to yell. When the agents stepped into the dining room the sound was pretty overwhelming.

Muffled cries of relief came from everyone at the table when the two agents were finally spotted.

David ran to his boss and pulled the tape from his mouth and Don immediately took charge. "David, hurry untie me, Bashere's taken Charlie!"

A chorus of muffled 'hurries" erupted as he quickly released Don and Alan.

Colby rushed to Megan and quickly untied her restraints, then moved on to Amita, leaving Megan to free Larry.

Megan looked around and spotted her gun. "It was Bashere." she said in a clipped voice as she slipped it back into her shoulder holster.

Colby nodded. "Yeah, we know, Stendhauser got the report just before we left."

Don and Alan had run immediately outside and were nervously looking up and down the street. Alan's shoulders slumped in despair at the sight of the empty street and although he had known that Bashere had already left, his heart had kept a small bit of hope that they could still catch them. That hope faded even more as he watched Don pace around the yard and he realized that even his oldest son didn't even know where to begin.

Don absenntly ran his hands over the back of his head as he turned around. He watched as Alan slowly sank to the steps of the porch and wiped at his eyes. The past few hours had taken it's toll on him and he looked older than Don could ever remember. His heart went out to him, but he couldn't stop now, he had to find Charlie. He set his jaw and turned around to face the worried faces of Megan and Colby.

"Walker's on his way Don." David said as he, Amita and Larry joined the others on the porch.

"Dam! We don't even know what kind of vehicle they're in or which direction they took!" he paused and vented his anger by kicking a stone across the yard. "Hell, we don't even know what Bashere looks like!"

Colby shared a puzzled look with David and waved his hand. "Wait, I don't understand. We know what he looks like."

Megan stopped her own pacing and glared at him. "No we don't Granger…we don't have a clue what he looks like." she threw her hands up in frustration. " The man had plastic surgery and he wore a mask while he was here."

Colby rubbed his face. "Okay…so…we need to talk to the neighbors then, find out if they saw anything."

"Plastic surgery only changes what is on the outside." Don mused thoughtfully "But he's still the same man on the inside."

Megan rubbed at her forehead and shared a confused look with her fellow agents. "Don where are you going with this?"

Instead of answering her, he turned to David. "Do you remember the Marc Andric case? "

David's forehead creased in puzzlement. "Yeah…the Lisa Bale murder, right?"

Don nodded his head. "Right, Andric was on the run and we didn't know where to look for him." he glanced at Megan and Colby and explained. "This was before you guys joined the team." Turning back to Sinclair he asked. "Do you remember what Charlie said?"

David eyes lit up and he nodded his head excitedly. "I remember. Charlie said that everyone has something that they like to do….that they can't stop doing."

"So what can't Bashere stop doing?' Colby tossed out.

Megan tucked a wayward hair behind her ear as she profiled the Frenchman. "He's arrogant….he has to have things his own way…he..."

"No, not like that, something that he likes to do so much that he can't give it up." David interrupted.

Don stuck his hands in the back pockets of his jeans and scanned the area as he thought about the Frenchman. "He likes luxury." the older agent ventured.

David suddenly snapped his fingers. "That's it….luxury! That's what he can't stop doing. The last time he kidnapped Charlie he was in a limousine and Don, a limo was pulling out of this street just as we were pulling in." he glanced around excitedly. "How long ago did they leave?"

Don ran a hand nervously over his chin. "I don't know, twenty minutes maybe…enough time to get away." he added darkly.

Colby nodded his head agreeing with his partner. "The timing is right." he glanced at his watch. "We've been here about twenty minutes."

"Don, it had to have been Bashere." David insisted.

"Even if it was them David, we don't know what direction they went in." Megan stated with a desperate edge to her voice.

"Yes we do, that limo turned south on Alvara." Colby waved his arm to emphasize the direction.

Don turned toward the younger agents and for the first time since their release a look of hope crossed his features. "I'll take those odds." he hit the speed dial on his phone. "This is Special Agent Don Eppes. I'm reporting a kidnapping in progress. Victim is my brother, Dr. Charles Eppes, taken from his home in Pasadena twenty minutes ago. We believe the kidnappers are driving a…" pausing he turned back to David. "Color?"

"Silver and black... late model?" he asked, turning to his partner for confirmation.

"Yeah, 2008 I think." Colby agreed.

"Limousine is silver & black, late model…plates?" he paused again and glanced at David, who shrugged his shoulders "…..plates unknown. Last seen heading south on Allvara boulevard. I want all traffic cameras at all lights looking for that limo. We need some "real time" information. Send all videos to my office…NOW!"

Don couldn't stay there, he had to do something, anything that would help him find his brother. "We'll take my car, I'm going to need you guys on the maps. Come on, we'll start down Alvara, they can call us in the car."

"Donnie?"

Don turned , Alan had come up behind him. "I'm going to bring him home Dad."

Alan took a deep shuddering breath. "Be careful, son. I don't want to lose you too."

"We haven't lost Charlie yet Dad." Don said embracing him in an uncharacteristically fierce hug. "I promise.. ..I'm going to bring him back. I'll call you as soon as I know anything." He released him then and ran to join his team.

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Alan watched the SUV race out of the driveway and as it left his sight, his eyes fell upon Charlie's Prius. Tears formed in his eyes as he thought of his youngest son. The odds of him surviving this night were just too great to contemplate. He had overheard the discussion between his sons and he knew what Charlie had decided to do.

Alan knew that it meant a lot to Charlie to have his older brother's approval in the things that he did and that Don had not always been forthcoming with his praise of the younger man's accomplishments. This had hurt Charlie over the years but he had still continued to try, never giving up.

Tonight was different though, Alan had seen defeat in Charlie's eyes; for the first time in his life, his youngest son was giving up but even in that, he still needed his older brother's approval. Charlie was going to kill himself rather than live the life that Bashere had planned for him and as much as it hurt him to think about it, Alan understood his son's decision.

On shaking legs he turned and went back into the house and sat down on the edge of the sofa. Alan leaned forward, elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. With his hands covering his face, he thought about his son's conversation. Don had pleaded with Charlie to wait and give them time to find him and it wasn't until Charlie had to leave that he finally told him that he understood. Charlie's eyes had reflected relief and gratitude to his brother. It had meant so much to him to know that Don really did understand that it was the only decision that he could possibly make.

Alan knew how difficult it had been for Don to say he understood; he also knew that he would lose both of his son's if Don got there too late. The elder man knew his son's well and he knew that his oldest would never forgive himself if that happened . Don was racing against two things; to save Charlie from Bashere and to save him from himself.

Larry's voice brought him out of his reverie and when Alan looked up his eyes fell upon the older professor. He was kneeling next to Amita who was on her knees on the dining room floor. Slightly bewildered, Alan stood up and walked slowly over to them.

Amita was frantically gathering the pieces of Charlie's note. They had been scattered around the room by everyone that had walked through it and she was having trouble finding them all.

Alan sighed and realized that she probably shouldn't be touching anything. The FBI forensics team was already on it's way over, but he didn't have the heart to tell her this

"Amita." he said softly.

She didn't respond to him, she just kept looking for more pieces. Larry looked up at him and shrugged and then began to pick through the broken flowers and scattered petals himself.

Alan knelt down beside her and placed an arm around her shoulders. This startled her and she looked up with red and swollen eyes. Her lips trembled when she saw who it was.

"Alan, I've got to find them." she wiped at her tears again. "Please help me find them." she asked desperately.

He started to speak but his voice was thick with emotion so he just nodded his head and released his hold on her, then he too, began looking for the white scrapes of paper that held his son's dearest thoughts to the woman he loved.

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Bashere's nap had been brief but he felt refreshed and was now eager to begin the final stage of his plan. He had just finished applying the make-up that he would need to get through the security system at the airport. The Frenchman had practiced putting it on over a dozen times to make certain that he would always end up with the same result; it was imperative that he matched the photo on his passport. He carefully molded the micro-mask to his features; with this ultra-thin plastic mask he could alter the shape of his face and nose and just wad it up and throw it away when he was finished with it. The mask blended in with his skin so closely that it looked like it was really a part of his own face and he certainly didn't expect anyone to notice the difference in the brief moments that it would take them to pass through security. They were leaving from a private airport on his own plane so security, although diligent, would not be as difficult as it would have been at LAX.

He glanced at his watch, ten minutes to the airport, it was time to wake up the Professor. Bashere opened the silver case again and pulled out another syringe and a different vial. He filled the needle and injected the liquid into the young man's neck. This injection would bring him to a state of semi-consciousness, giving him the appearance and symptoms of being intoxicated. The symptoms would last fifteen minutes, more than enough time to get Charlie on the plane, and then full consciousness would return.

The car came to a complete stop in front of the main entrance. The door opened and Bashere climbed out and handed Krill his briefcase. The two mercenaries and the driver were also wearing masks and would enter separately. A young man stepped around them and joined the Frenchman. Bashere perused his attire and make-up carefully before giving him his approval and turning back to the open door to help Charlie out of the car.

"Come on kiddo, time to get up." he said in his best Alan imitation. He sounded nothing like Alan of course, but with the drugs in Charlie's system, just using Alan's words would be enough to convince the young man that his father was really there.

Charlie felt someone pull him to a standing position but for some reason his legs wouldn't hold him upright. His right arm was pulled over someone's shoulder and someone's arm…._his dad's?….._came around his waist to help him stand up. He tried to lift his head but it was so heavy that it ended up on his dad's shoulder. Somehow he was walking and the bright lights caused him to repeatedly close his eyes. There was noise all around him and his head was pounding so badly that he thought it was going to burst. They stopped moving and he could make out bits and pieces of a conversation. He tried to open his eyes again and focus but he could only catch glimpses of his surroundings.

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Airport security guard Nathan Brown was in his mid-twenties and was still in training. This actually made Bashere's deception much easier, had his senior partner been on duty, the Frenchman would have encountered a lot more difficulty but luck appeared to be on the man's side. Nathan's partner had just been called to the main security office for a briefing on an urgent matter.

The young guard watched as the three men approached the entrance to the terminal. One of them appeared to be ill and was being supported by an older gentleman. As they came to a stop in front of him he asked for their passports.

"Adam, give the nice young man our passports." The older man ordered. " I'm afraid my hands are full just trying to keep your brother on his feet."

"Sure Dad." The younger man walking beside of him answered. " Here they are sir."

Charlie tried to force his eyes open. _Brother, was Donnie here? _That didn't sound like his voice. Strange, he didn't see Don but he rubbed at his eyes when he saw himself looking back at him.

"What's wrong with him?" Nathan asked , with a nod toward Charlie, as he compared the photographs on the passports with the men standing in front of him.

"What else? I'm afraid that my son tried to drown his sorrows with a bottle of scotch." he sighed dramatically. "It seems that he thought he was in love but unfortunately the young woman didn't share his feelings."

"Ouch." Nathan smiled sympathetically at the intoxicated young man.

"Precisely." the older man agreed. " and I don't mind telling you that it's lucky for me that we have a long flight tonight. It'll give him a chance to sober up before his mother gets a look at him. "

"_Mother?"_ Charlie tried to focus, something was all wrong but he couldn't hold onto a thought long enough to reason it out; it kept slipping away from him.

The security guard continued to study the passports. "Twins?" he asked, motioning to the two younger men.

"Right, that's Adam." Bashere said pointing to the young man standing beside of him. "And this is Alexander." he grunted and shook the younger man a little. "Come on son, try and stand a little." he winked at the guard. "He's heavier than he looks."

"You know your sons look familiar, especially that one." the guard pointed at Charlie.

"Both of my sons are fans of Dr. Eppes--you know--the mathematician?" The guard nodded his head and he continued with his explanation. "My sons attended one of his lectures while we were here and were so impressed with him, that they had to rush right out and have their hair done the same way that he wears his ….and of course, when they saw the shirts." he shrugged his shoulders. "…well, you can see for yourself. " he waved a hand at Adam. "Turn around son and let the officer read what's on the back of it."

Adam turned and revealed E equals Eppes on the back "And this is the symbol for Pi." he said pointing to the front of his shirt as he turned back around.

Nathan couldn't suppress a grin. "Right, the professor's quite a celebrity now."

"Well, I'm not sure how my wife is going to take to their new look." Bashere added ruefully. "My sons, it doesn't matter how old they are, they still manage to get me into trouble."

Nathan handed the passports back to Adam. "Have a nice flight."

Charlie knew he was in trouble and the guard's uniform gave him hope. He raised his head and forced his eyes open. "Help…me….plea…." his voice was barely more than a whisper but before he could finish his sentence the arm around him tightened in a vice-like grip forcing the air from his lungs and his words ended in a painful gasp. He closed his eyes against the pain and tried to catch his breath.

The guard narrowed his eyes and stepped in front of them. "What did he say?" he asked, suddenly suspicious.

Bashere didn't miss a step and even managed to look apologetic. "I think he's going to be sick."

"Oh, oh! The guard exclaimed in dismay and quickly stepped back. He pointed to a door behind him. "Restroom is over there."

"Thanks." The Frenchman called over his shoulder as he maneuvered the mathematician toward the restroom. As he reached the door however, he glanced back at the guard. The man had his back to them and was already processing another passenger. He tightened his grip on Charlie and turned for the boarding area eager to get on board the jet.

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Megan's phone rang and she quickly answered it. A few clipped words and she closed the phone. She gave Don the latest coordinates and they headed off in that direction.

"How did you figure it out?" Don called over his shoulder as he drove.

"It wasn't that hard once we had all of the information. Here, take a look at this." David handed the folders up to Megan. She opened the first one with a quick intake of breath and Don glanced over to see what caused her reaction. She held it open so he could see the picture and they exchanged knowing looks.

She was just about to comment when her phone rang. "Reeves, yeah go ahead….okay…just a minute." She lowered the phone. "At the next light take a right and turn east on Colorado Boulevard." she paused as she listened for more instructions.

Don switched on his turn signal as he approached the light and immediately turned onto the boulevard.

"Hold on……Don, you need to turn left on the South Arroyo Parkway, it's the next street up." She returned to her phone conversation. "Call me as soon as you have more." she snapped her phone closed and turned to the SAC.

" Stendhauser is following the limo on the traffic security tapes, but so far they haven't found it on real time."

David and Colby were in the back seat with a map spread between them and were marking the limo's path as Megan called out the route.

"He wouldn't go back to the Port of Los Angeles would he?" Colby asked making eye contact with Don in the rear view mirror.

Don shook his head. "I don't think so Colby. While he was in the living room finishing up with his plans, I thought I heard him say "forty-five minutes. So, if he has forty-five minutes to get to his departure area and we're heading south…"

"That would take us to the Port."

"I know, but I'm betting that he's got faster transportation in mind this time. Something that will get him out of the states faster than a ship."

David nodded his head, "I agree, he plans on flying out of here."

"Right, so were looking for a private airport that can handle a small jet."

"It could just be a small plane to take them over the border."

"I don't think so David. Bashere may have changed his face but he still likes his luxury; the limo proves our theory there. That part of him didn't change so I'm betting on a lear jet. That would get him out of the country fast and he would still have his comfort."

He scrubbed a hand through his hair as he drove. "Megan, have Stendhauser get a list of the private airports in this direction. The ones that are big enough to handle small jets and within our forty-five minute radius."

"On it." She pressed her speed dial again and was soon relaying the new message and when she finished the other agent had more directions for them.

"Bear left onto I-110, Harbor Freeway South, then take the right ramp for I-105, the Century Freeway west." she paused again. "Get back to me as quickly as you can."

She looked over her seat at the two agents in the back. "You guys get all of that on the map."

Her phone rang again before the two agents could answer. "At exit 1B take the right ramp to SR-1, North Sepulveda Boulevard. Reeves out."

"Guys, what did the data run tell you." Don asked as he met David's eyes in the rear view mirror.

"Everything Don, everything that we were missing."

"Yeah, like the previous name of the yacht was "The Imperious." Colby snorted. " and check this out, the estate that was blown up was the one that Bashere bought after he kidnapped Charlie the first time."

Megan frowned. "That's impossible, I checked the courthouse records myself. Bashere was not listed as the previous owner."

It all snapped into place for Don. "He wouldn't be listed because the sale was never officially recorded there. We busted him first and confiscated the money from the owners, so the sale was never legally filed. When the owners did finally sell the house there was no record of Bashere buying it." Disgustedly he shook his head. "That whole dam message makes sense now. Think about it, first he gets even with us and the LAPD for messing up his plans, then he takes back the money that was made from the sale of his property. The note said that he would destroy what he could not retrieve, so he blows up the yacht and the estate. Obviously, he had to leave Charlie's abduction for last because the minute he did that he would have to be on the run."

"Don, we have another mile before we hit the ramp for I-105." Colby called out from the back seat and then added. "What I don't get though, is the dead look alike, what is that all about?"

"He messed up there Granger." Megan pulled her hair back and tied it in a ponytail. "He meant for us to be there to see the body so that we would know he was back before he killed us but the drug raid surprised them and the narcotics agents found the body first, so that left him with two choices, kill us or somehow keep the body from us."

Don took up the story. "He was going to kill us but changed his mind because he wanted some leverage over Charlie. Now he can always threaten to kill us to make Charlie do what he wants him to do."

As Don turned onto the ramp they were joined by an FBI tactical van and three LAPD police cruisers.

"We've got your six, Eppes." the familiar voice of Lt Walker came over the radio.

"Roger that." Don responded. "Glad to have you with us. Eppes out."

David continued with their story. "Stendhauser said the data run should have finished by four o'clock but when it didn't she became curious and discovered that a virus had been installed to slow it down. She was able to wipe it out before it did very much damage to the data." he paused to swallow. "Wright's already been notified."

Megan's phone rang again and she quickly answered it. "What have you got?" she scribbled some names on her pad. "Got it… any new directions?" Okay, thanks."

She closed her phone and shifted her position to face the older agent. "Don, there are two private airports in the forty-five minute radius that meets our criteria. One is the LA/Palmdale Regional Airport located in Palmdale. The other one is Red Hawk Private Air located at Hermosa Beach. She's checking to see if either of them have any jets that are scheduled for take-off in..." she glanced at her watch. "Oh my God!…. ..fifteen minutes." The phone rang again and she quickly answered it. "Both of them do….great….yeah thanks."

"Don what are we going to do, they both have jets that are scheduled to take off, we can't get to both of them in time.

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Charlie tried to focus but he couldn't seem to get his eyes to cooperate and stay open. There was a loud humming noise, mechanical and electronic sounds and voices that kept distracting him. _What were they saying? _The voices sounded jumbled to him, nothing was making any sense.

A sense of urgency was beginning to form in his drug -induced brain. Charlie needed to wake up, there was something very important going on but he couldn't remember what it was and yet there it was nagging at him from the back of his mind.

Charlie shifted his position and his sense of touch began to return. He was sitting ..no reclining on something that was really soft and as awareness began to return he felt movement. Something that he was in was moving….slowly….in little starts and stops.

He brought his hands up to rub the sleep from his eyes and realized that his left hand was attached to something. He opened his eyes again and this time the shadows began to take form even though there was still a blurry edge to everything. Charlie persisted though, and managed to keep them open until his vision finally began to clear.

He tried his left hand again and realized that the reason he couldn't move his left arm was because it was handcuffed to the arm of the chair that he was sitting in. Charlie tried to loosen the handcuff but it was to no avail.

"You can't get loose without the key Professor, and that is in my pocket."

Startled, Charlie lifted his head to find the source of the voice. His eyebrows shot upward in surprise as he met Bashere's brown eyes and he exclaimed. "You!"

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"Megan get me the head of security from both of those airports right now and put it on speaker."

A few minutes later they were connected. "This is Special Agent Don Eppes with the FBI, we are in pursuit of kidnappers and their victim. Are both of you in a position to review your security tapes?"

"This is Max Barton of Red Hawke security. My tapes are up, tell me what I'm looking for?"

"I'm Sam Johnson head of security at LA/Palmdale, tell me what you need?"

"I want you to review your security tapes for the last thirty minutes. You are looking for a kidnapping victim. His name is Dr. Charles Eppes and he is a 32 year old male with brown curly hair, around 5 ft 7in tall and he weighs around 150 lbs. He was last seen wearing a tee shirt with the math symbol for Pi on the front of it and E equals Eppes on the back. He was also wearing jeans and sneakers. Dr Eppes was abducted by three masked men approximately fifty-five minutes ago. Do any of your passengers match his description?"

Don waited with bated breath while the men reviewed their tapes. There was silence over the airways as each of the men checked their security tapes.

"This is Johnson at LA/Palmdale. We've got Dr. Eppes on our tape, he just boarded one of the jets."

Don's eyes had just started to reflect some hope when Max Barton called out. "How can you have him, I've got two of them."

"Say again, you have two of them?" Don asked as he shared a puzzled look with his partner and then a look of understanding crossed his features. "That was why he insisted that Charlie wear that tee shirt." he said through gritted teeth.

"Dam that Bashere!" David hissed from the back of the SUV. "Two of them are decoys."

"Describe the people that are with them and hurry." Don ordered as he glanced at his watch.

"Johnson here, my guy is with one man, tall fellow, maybe in his forties. The young guy doesn't look like he's being forced to go along with him."

"This is Red Hawke, according to my security guys, the two we have are twins and are with their father. One of the twins was sick so his Dad and brother had to help him get on board. "

"That's him! That was Charlie, they drugged him before they left the house."

"No offense, Agent Eppes, but how can you be so sure? I mean, wouldn't it be kind of stupid to kidnap someone and then parade him through security pretending that he's someone else. The guard on duty said that the twins were a fan of the professor and wanted to look like him."

Megan spoke up. "It's actually pretty smart when you think about it, we would never expect a kidnapper to flaunt his victim right in front of us. It's exactly the kind of thing that Bashere would do." she shook her head disgustedly. "He must be feeling pretty proud of himself right now."

What kind of jet and what is it's status?" Don asked anxiously.

"It's a French Bonneville lear jet and it's on the runway. There are two jets currently in front of him but one is beginning to taxi down the runway. What do you want us to do?"

"Have the tower call them and stall for time, we're ten minutes out." Don ordered. " Johnson, pull your guys off the jet and hold them for questioning. Eppes out."

Don turned the wheel at the next exit and headed for the airport at Hermosa Beach.

The agent switched on his radio. "Gary, suspects are at the Red Hawke Private airport on the runway. We need to stop them from taking off but remember the safety of the hostage is a priority."

"Roger that Eppes."

They could see the lights of the runway now and Don stepped on the accelerator. Three jets cane into view and as they approached the airport one of them began to taxi foreword. He glanced up briefly as it became airborne and roared over their heads but his eyes quickly returned to the two jets that were still waiting on the runway, particularly the second one in line for take-off.


	22. Chapter 22

Obsession

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: Wow! Your response to Chapter 21 was just amazing! :) Thank you so much for taking the time to review. I hope you'll continue to share your thoughts of this story with me.

Chapter 22:

Charlie couldn't believe his eyes; the visage in front of him literally left him speechless. The voice and the eyes belonged to the Bashere that he remembered, but he had come to know the rest of the man's face by another name. A man that he had spoken with on more than one occasion, a man that had been welcomed into his home as a friend. His forehead creased in puzzlement; something else was different though; narrowing his eyes he studied the man's features. Suddenly it clicked into place; it was the hair…new style and change of color. An unexpected sense of betrayal coursed through him and his anger re-surfaced; Bashere had played upon his family's benevolence to further his subterfuge.

"You missed your calling, you should have become an actor." he said.

Bashere flashed him a smile, deliberately taking his comment as a compliment and ignoring the sarcastic tone of his voice.

"I was quite clever, don't you think?" he asked smugly. "I've learned how to play many roles over the years but I can honestly tell you that I have never enjoyed it as much as I did this time."

Charlie found the Frenchman's attitude irritating and although he knew that he risked angering the man he couldn't stop himself from saying. "You know, I once read that honest people are easy to manipulate so forgive me if I don't exactly view your performance as a great accomplishment." He braced himself for Bashere's response to his insult, wondering what form his retaliation would come in, but he was quite unprepared for the man's apathetic attitude.

"I truly didn't expect you to appreciate my efforts Professor." the Frenchman responded, glancing up from a paper that he was reading. He studied the young man's face, noting the sweaty brow and the white pallor of his skin.

"On your right is a glass of ginger-ale, it should help that nauseous feeling that you are probably experiencing at the moment, unfortunately it is a side effect of the sedative that I gave you." Bashere watched him closely. "I left one of your hands free so you could help yourself." he nudged his arm companionably. "You see, I remembered that you like to hold your own glass."

Charlie's throat was dry and his hand shook slightly as he picked up the glass and raised it to his lips. _"Must be another side effect of the drug." _he thought darkly. The drink helped him in his struggle to wake up and he took a moment to look around at his surroundings.

Charlie silently stared out of a window and tried to gain control of his jittery stomach. It would be poetic justice if he threw up on Bashere. He brought up a trembling hand to wipe the sweat that was now beading on his forehead and was relieved that at least this time one of his hands had remained free. It was a small courtesy, considering the circumstances, but one he deeply appreciated, although he wasn't going to let his captor know that.

They were on board a jet and as he looked around at the ultra luxurious large cabin it occurred to him that Bashere was staying true to his nature….the man truly loved luxury. There were two extremely comfortable leather reclining seats placed side by side in the middle of the cabin, one of which he was presently occupying and the Frenchman was sitting in the other one. A coffee table was in front of their chairs and there was a long comfortable sofa along one of the sides of the plane.

He heard voices behind him and swiveled his head around to see where they were coming from. There was a wall separating the rear of the jet from their section. He assumed that the men from the house were sitting behind the partition. The voices were rising and falling in intensity and it was apparent that a heated discussion was going on but he couldn't quite make out what they were saying.

"Would you like some more?' Bashere inquired, concern evident in his voice.

Surprised by the man's demeanor Charlie turned quickly around to face the older man but when he didn't answer right away Bashere motioned for someone to come forward.

The person was just out of his line of sight but Charlie's jaw dropped when he came into view. It was a young man dressed just like him and not only his clothing was identical to what he was wearing but he looked to be around the same height and weight as himself; add the five o'clock shadow and curly brown hair and he could pass for his twin brother.

"Yes, Henri?" the young man asked with a look of adoration on his face. It was clear that he wanted to please the older man. "Can I do something for you?"

"A fresh ginger-ale for the professor and a pack of crackers, he has an upset stomach." The older man commanded.

"Oh, okay sure." He hesitated, apparently disappointed, until Bashere arched his eyebrows at him. The young man turned quickly and left to get the items.

Charlie's eyes were wide with disbelief and he couldn't take them off of the young man as he hurried away. Swallowing hard, his eyes drifted back to the man sitting next to him and found Bashere closely studying his reaction.

"Why?" he whispered at a loss for words with the revelation of his look-alike.

"It was necessary to get you through security." Bashere responded in an impassive voice. "I also became bored waiting for my plan to finalize and Adam has been very entertaining." he paused, raking his eyes over the younger man. "If you get my drift?"

Charlie felt his heart quicken and he ducked his eyes and looked away with only thought in his mind. _"Oh, God! I've got to find a way to escape from this madman!"_

Bashere stood up and looked down at the young mathematician. "I'll be back in a moment."

An overwhelming sense of panic came over him and Charlie immediately tried to free himself of the handcuff. He looked around frantically for anything that he could use to wedge into the lock but to no avail. Adam returned while he was still attempting to get himself free.

"Please, help me. I need to get this off before he comes back!" he whispered desperately.

"I have to admit that you do look a lot like the picture, but I think I look more like him than you do. Henri doesn't need you when he has me." Adam's voice was cold and full of resentment. His eyebrows pulled closer together as he stared at Charlie, ignoring his pleas for help. Jealously and anger reflected in his dark eyes.

"Is that part of the act.; pretending that you don't want to be handcuffed? Henri hasn't done that with me yet, but he will." he said confidentially, his eyes gleaming with anticipation as he looked down at Charlie.

Stunned, Charlie asked incredulously. "You like this? You want to be here?" When did the whole world go crazy, did everyone on this plane belong in a mental institution?

Adam snorted. "Of course, just like you."

Angrily Charlie hissed. "I am not here by choice! I am being kidnapped, please help me!"

Bashere suddenly materialized by the side of the chair. "Adam you are upsetting my friend. Just put the drink and crackers down and leave us."

Adam placed the crackers and ginger-ale on the table next to Charlie but made no attempt to leave.

Angrily, he pointed at Charlie. "Why is he here? I look more like the picture than he does and you haven't done the handcuff thing with me yet. You don't need him, you have me!" His eyes burned with hatred as he starred at the mathematician.

Bashere grabbed the man's arm and jerked him forward until he was standing close enough for him to grab his chin and force his head up to meet his eyes. In a voice that held deadly promise he answered the angry man's question.

"Listen very carefully Adam for I will only say this once. Charlie is the man in the photograph, you are the copy. I will not tolerate anyone who might intend him harm, do you understand?"

Frightened by the violent reaction and malevolent look in the man's eyes, Adam simply nodded his head that he understood. Bashere released him and patted him gently on the arm.

"Don't worry, you will still have your uses. Off with you now, go back and take your seat."

Dismissed, like a young child, the young man glanced sideways at the professor and slowly walked back to the rear of the plane.

Bashere returned to his seat and opened up his laptop. "You should drink some more of the beverage, it will help settle your stomach."

"Ah, yes, thanks." Charlie mumbled as he took another drink. It did seem to help but he didn't feel like eating anything so he left the cracker's untouched.

He stared at the man with a new resolve and found that he wasn't afraid of him anymore. It didn't matter what the Frenchman did to him now, he had made his decision and he was going to put a stop to this once and for all. His family was safe now, that's all that mattered, and soon Bashere would no longer have any reason to hurt them.

"Where are we going?" he asked quietly.

Bashere's head whipped around suddenly and Charlie thought he saw an emotion flicker across his face but it was gone too quickly for him to identify. _Could it have been …hope? _

"I'm so glad that you asked Charlie." he leaned over and nudged his arm. "I can call you Charlie, right?"

Ignoring his question, the young man asked one of his own.

"What should I call you?"

There was that look again, almost as if the man was really hoping that there was a chance that Charlie would actually accept this life and enjoy it.

"Hmm…hmmm, that is a good question. I'm actually trying to decide on a new name but until I decide I suppose you can still call me Henri or Angus, whichever one suits you." he paused, "I think you liked Angus better than Henri though."

"Same man." Charlie ventured. "Changing the way you look doesn't change who you are, Frenchman or Scotsman, your still the same person."

Bashere shrugged, dismissing the conversation and swiveled his laptop toward the young man.

"Look at this Charlie!" he said eagerly and proceeded to press a few keys. Pictures of an estate appeared on the screen.

"This is going to be your new home…our home." he amended.

He clicked on a number of pictures explaining the layout of the estate to him as he did so and took him on a virtual tour of the mansion.

"Downstairs is a solarium that I've had prepared just for you. It's filled with whiteboards and blackboards so that you can work on your equations and your Cognitive Emergence work. A place where you won't be interrupted by anyone."

Smiling broadly, he leaned over an patted the young man's knee. "I will insist however, that you take a few breaks now and then. I know how you push yourself, dear boy, and you must take time out for a little R & R."

Charlie listened in amazement as the man rambled on excitedly. "_He's totally delusional; it's as if he's forgotten that I am his prisoner."_

"Oh, and just wait until you see your apartment. It's conveniently right across from mine, so we'll have no problem visiting one another."

The man's voice grated on his nerves and he had to mentally keep his hands from balling up into fists as Bashere continued to talk. Charlie never would have believed himself capable of wanting to hurt another person but somehow Bashere had managed to push all of the right buttons because right now he had an overwhelming desire to punch him in the face.

Despite the dire situation, the scientist in him was distantly processing his own feelings and he noted with excitement how his first hand experience with these raw emotions would be in-valuable in his Cognitive Emergence Theory. He sighed inwardly, however, with the realization that he would never have the opportunity to incorporate this new data into his theory.

Charlie swallowed the bile that was forming in his throat. It happened every time the man implied what he wanted from their imaginary relationship and he reached for the ginger-ale to help keep it down. He pretended to be interested in the photos, no reason to upset the man when he was sitting so close to him.

He scratched at his cheek and winced. The slap that Bashere had given him had apparently been hard enough to bruise his cheek and it was tender to the touch. "_Probably turning black and blue too." _he thought. There was one consolation however, Bashere himself was sporting a bruise, right where Charlie's fist had met with his chin and he felt a sensation of satisfaction wash over him.

"What do you think?" Bashere asked .

"Uh…what?" Charlie had not been paying attention. "Sorry, I think I'm still a little drowsy."

"Hmmm….perhaps the sedative hasn't quite worn off yet. It shouldn't take much longer though, I only gave you a light dose. I wanted to make sure that you were awake during our flight….to give us more time to get to know one another."

Charlie glanced away and kept silent, tightening his jaw to prevent himself from letting the man know what he really thought about him and his ideas. Bashere's mood swings were quick and violent and he had been privy to them on more than one occasion. However, he didn't like the direction that the conversation was going in so he decided to try and change the subject.

"You still haven't told me where we are going."

Bashere studied him for a moment before turning back to the laptop.

"I believe I will keep that a secret for now."

Changing tactics Charlie asked. "How long will it take us to get there?"

"Oh, about eleven hours I should think, that is if we ever get off the ground." he grimaced and looked at his watch.

"Adam!" he called out suddenly.

The young man hurried forward. "Yes, Henri." A hopeful look appeared in his eyes.

"Find out why we are still on the ground. We should have taken off ten minutes ago, and leave the door open, I want to see the runway."

"Yes, Henri." he answered meekly and hurried toward the cockpit.

"So…ah… we'll have to stop and refuel somewhere?" Charlie began again.

"Yes, yes of course." the man replied a little distractedly, eyeing the cockpit.

Charlie needed more data before he could plot their destination. Maybe there was something in the pictures. He hadn't been paying that much attention when Bashere had shown them to him earlier, especially the ones from the exterior of the estate. There might be a landmark of some kind that he would recognize.

"May I look at the pictures again?" he asked casually.

"Really? " Bashere turned in surprise. He started to turn the laptop around and stopped midway turning to peruse him closely and then awareness crossed his features and he grinned.

"You are truly amazing... that marvelous brain of yours is trying to calculate our destination, isn't it?"

Charlie just shrugged and looked away without responding to his question. Denying it would be useless, Bashere had already figured out his intentions. Don had always told him that his face was like an open book, easy to read, because his eyes always reflected his true emotions.

Excitedly, the older man turned to face him. "Let me see now, what information did I give you? I told you that it would take us eleven hours to get there and that we would have to refuel but that's not enough data is it? That's why you wanted to see the pictures, look for clues, right?" and then the man did something that Charlie never expected. ...he laughed out loud.

"Oh, my dear boy, I can see that I'm going to have to be very careful when you are around or you will discover all of my secrets."

He didn't appear angry at all, only amused, and he wagged his forefinger at the young professor. "No more information for you until we get there."

Adam had returned and was standing beside Bashere's chair waiting to be noticed.

"Well, what's the problem?" his asked impatiently.

"Apparently one of the planes in front of us had some sort of malfunction but they have repaired it now and we should be underway momentarily."

"It's about time." he muttered, dismissing the man with a wave of his hand.

That nagging thought had returned and although Charlie didn't want to anger the man there was a question that he desperately needed an answer to.

"You didn't hurt them, did you?"

Bashere turned and looked him in the eyes. In a split-second his demeanor had changed; his brown eyes seemed even colder when he responded. "We had a deal, remember?"

"Yes, but you drugged me, remember?" he returned the man's icy stare, refusing to back down.

The older man's face suddenly broke into a smile although it never touched his eyes.

"Touche' again Professor. " he paused as if considering his words carefully. "I really wanted to kill your brother tonight; he has been a pain in the ass from the very beginning."

Charlie's face darkened as he listened to the older man's explanation. His hatred for him grew with each word that Bashere uttered.

"I wanted him to suffer, you see, the way that I had suffered when he shot me." he shifted his position in the seat so that he and Charlie were face to face. "Fortunately, I realized that by taking you away I could inflict a lifetime of pain and misery on him." his smile broadened as he added. "Death would have been merciful."

Bashere moved closer until he was leaning on Charlie's arm leaving his face only inches away. Charlie tried to move further away but with his arm shackled to the chair he couldn't go very far.

"That "brotherly-bond" that the two of you share worked perfectly into my plans." Bashere's voice had taken on a husky tone and he leaned even closer to the younger man. He stretched out his hand as if to touch Charlie's hair and the young man tried to move his head out of reach. Undaunted, Bashere grabbed a handful of the young man's curls and forced his head back around to face him.

Charlie winced from the pain and tried to push him away with his free hand only to have that arm held down as well. The lecherous look in Bashere's eyes caused an uncontrollable shudder to pass through his body and in a panic he tried to kick at the man but the seatbelt and the man's body restricted his movements.

Stop! Let…me…go!" he gasped out angrily, continuing to struggle against the Frenchman.

The sound of the tower calling the pilot distracted Bashere and he abruptly released the younger man and pulled away to listen to the transmission.

Charlie swallowed and inhaled a shaky breath of relief as the man pulled away but he kept a wary eye on him as he listened to the voices from the cockpit.

"Bonneville IV 55582, this is the tower. We have an emergency landing in progress and we need to clear the runway. Taxi your jet immediately back to the hangar. Do you copy?'

Bashere jumped up from his chair and ran to the cockpit. "They're on to us, get this plane in the air!"

"Bonneville IV 55582, I say again, do you copy?"

"Don't answer, just take of!" the angry man hissed. "Move it! I haven't paid you all that money to just sit here!"

The pilot tilted his head back so he could face Bashere. "If we just take off they could send a fighter jet after us."

"You idiot! They're not going to shoot us down as long as we have Dr. Eppes on board, and since when have you guys worried about getting shot down. I should think with your history you would be more afraid of being caught and put on death row." He looked each of them in the eye and watched them flinch at his cold stare. "Now get this bird in the air!"

He turned abruptly and returned to his seat angrily jerking at his seatbelt to fasten it.

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The Bonneville lear jet taxied out onto the runway and the engine began to hum louder as the pilot pushed forward on the throttle; the plane suddenly began to pick up speed.

Charlie's eyes focused on the runway in front of them and he said a silent good-bye to his family and his friends. His heart sank as the momentum of the jet increased and just as he thought all was lost, flashing lights suddenly appeared ion the runway in front of them and were rapidly closing the distance to their position.

Bashere shouted at the pilot and ordered him to hurry.

The jet was moving faster now and it looked as if they would be up in the air before the FBI and LAPD vehicles could reach them.

Charlie felt a surge of hope; Don had figured it out, against all of the odds, his brother had found him. But the hope was short lived as the plane started to lift into the air, leaving the ground and his brother far below him.

Desperately, he turned to the older man. "Give it up Bashere, it's too late."

"Your brother is the one that is too late Professor." Bashere stated coldly between clenched teeth and then he yelled at the pilot. "Get this thing into the air! "Now!

The jet continued on it's path and the front wheel began to rise from the tarmac. The first vehicle was getting closer now and it would be under the plane in only seconds. They had to get higher or they weren't going to make it.

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Don and his entourage left the highway just as the second jet took to the air and his heart began to sink as he watched the french jet began to taxi down the runway.

"Get in touch with the tower, find out why that plane is still moving." he ordered as he put more pressure on the gas pedal.

The agent lost sight of the runway when the road took them around the hangar before it opened up onto the runway itself. Megan closed her phone as he pulled the SUV onto the runway and raced madly toward the approaching plane. He had a white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel and only one desperate thought in his mind; to close the distance before the plane had enough room to take off.

"Don, the tower says the plane isn't responding to their calls."

"Dam him!" The agent hissed and switched on his radio. "Eppes here, spread out, we need to block their path."

Immediately the vehicles behind him sped up and fanned out across the runway. They raced forward, desperately trying to close the distance before the plane gained enough speed to get airborne.

"What the hell is he doing?" David called out from the back seat. "The pilot has to know that he's not going to make it."

The distance between them closed rapidly without the plane showing any signs of powering down and it began to lift off from the runway.

Don and his team instinctively ducked as the plane's back wheels began to fold upward, but they were too close and the left wheel clipped the side of the SUV, shattering the driver's side window and propelling fragmented glass all over the agents inside. The collision sent the vehicle spinning around in circles until it rammed into the side of one of the LAPD patrol cars.

Don cautiously lifted his head and checked out his team. "Everyone okay? Is anyone hurt?"

A chorus of okay's greeted him as he brushed away the broken glass that covered him. He glanced over at the patrol car and the officer's gave him a thumbs up so he turned his attention back to the plane and starting his SUV.

Megan grabbed his forearm. "Your face is bleeding." she said with a worried look in her eyes. "Let me check it out?"

Don touched the side of his temple and wiped at the blood that was running into his eyes. "No, it's nothing, just a scratch." he said distractedly as he desperately tried to start the SUV. Finally the engine roared to life and he turned the vehicle around and sped off in pursuit of the airborne jet with the tactical van and the police cruisers trailing behind him.

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The plane shuddered violently as the jet connected with one of the approaching vehicles but it still continued on it's upward climb. The collision with the car had damaged the rear left wheel of the plane and it was jammed half way up. This was throwing the jet off balance and the pilot was having trouble trying to control the take off. Finally, he managed to get airborne but staying that way was becoming a serious problem. The weight of the extended wheel was not only weighing them down but also keeping them off balance. It kept dragging them back down and he couldn't maintain the required altitude. They flew out over the water but the pilot was losing his battle to keep it in the air. The wings of the jet kept tipping from side to side because of the extended wheel and in a last ditch effort the pilot turned the plane back toward the shore and desperately tried to make it back to the airport. A few minutes later he realized that he wasn't going to make it so he dumped his reserve fuel into the ocean and scanned for a place to land.

Charlie covered his head, trying to protect himself from the lose objects that were flying all around the cabin. He could hear the voice of the co-pilot as he frantically called out a mayday, giving the tower their position. There were shouts coming from the rear of the plane and sounds of objects falling all around them. The cockpit door kept slamming shut and then re-opening with the movement of the plane.

The door was open now and Charlie stared in horror at the approaching jagged sea cliffs of the La Jolla Valley. He held his breath as the plane slipped even lower and the wall of the sea cliffs filled the window They weren't going to make it…they were going to smash into the cliff-side and fall 350 feet to the rocks and water below.

Charlie had know all along that he wasn't going to survive this time, but dying this way was a surprise…..and a relief; it would be a quick death. With only a few precious minutes left, his thoughts turned to his family. At least they would have some closure now and he could be buried next to his Mother.

The sound of the handcuffs clicking shut drew his attention to Bashere. He had removed the handcuff from the arm of the chair and put it around his own wrist.

Stunned, Charlie stammered. "What…what are you doing?"

Bashere grimly adjusted the cuff around his own wrist as he answered. "I vowed we would live together or die together. I would have preferred to live but at least we will spend eternity together." The older man shifted in his seat and gripped the other arm of his chair tightly before making eye contact with Charlie. "Your brother has killed you." he added bitterly.

The young mathematician glanced down at the handcuffs that now bound the two of them together and raised his head to lock eyes with Bashere. Charlie's eyes were always expressive, even more so now that the end was near. The fear had left his eyes and the love and pride that he felt for his brother shown with such an intensity that Bashere actually flinched.

"No, your wrong, Don hasn't killed me…..he has killed you." With unshed tears in his eyes, Charlie brought his chin up proudly and passionately whispered. " My brother has set me free."

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In a frantic effort, the pilot managed to pull the nose of the plane up and over the edge of the cliff but the jammed wheel caught on an outcropping of rock and the plane landed heavily on it's belly as it landed. The front half of the aircraft continued to move forward with such force that it ripped the plane into two pieces. The cockpit and the forward half of the plane came to rest almost three hundred yards from the edge of the cliff, finally stopping after it became wedged between two large oaks. The tail section remained on the edge of the cliff, dangling precariously over the side.


	23. Chapter 23

Obsession:

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews. I truly appreciate them. You guys are awesome! :)

Chapter 23:

Don drove like a man possessed, irrationally chasing an airborne jet. He knew he couldn't catch it but it was the only link that he had left to his brother and he was afraid that if he lost sight of it then he would lose Charlie forever, so against all reason he raced down the highway in pursuit of the aircraft.

The collision with the Learjet had damaged the red and blue emergency lights in his windshield so Don ordered Walker to take the lead. His siren was still working but the other driver's on the highway were not connecting the sound with his vehicle and were slowing him down. His madness was contagious it seemed, for Walker didn't even question his order to take the lead, he just raced around him and continued the chase. Don sped up again and followed closely behind the police cruiser leaving the FBI Tactical van and two more patrol cars to bring up the rear.

The beautiful California coastline whizzed by them at a dizzying speed but all eyes were turned toward the sky. One pair of brown eyes in particular that should have been fixed on the road in front of him couldn't help but drift skyward every few seconds.

"Can you see it?" Don shouted anxiously. Between the wailing of the sirens and the roar of the wind rushing through the broken window of the SUV the agents could barely hear one another. They finally had to resort to shouting to be heard.

Megan, David and Colby all had binoculars trained on the jet as it headed out over the Pacific.

"We can still see it Don." Megan yelled back.

"Megan contact Point Mugu Naval Base and have them scramble a jet to follow it." as an afterthought he added. "Make sure they know not to shoot it down."

"I don't think that's going to be necessary Don." Colby called out loudly from the back seat. "It's having trouble gaining altitude."

"He's right." David yelled. "Look, it's turning back toward the shore. The wheel is still down, the collision must have jammed it."

The caravan took the next exit on highway 1 heading north which happened to be a sharp turn and Don careened onto the exit on two wheels amid cries of alarm from his team members. A simultaneous sigh of relief echoed audibly through the vehicle a few seconds later when the airborne wheels finally hit the pavement again.

They were racing along the La Jolla coastline now and the low-lying alluvial cliffs were coming into view The cliffs began to rise as they sped along the highway toward La Jolla and it's highest cliff, The Projecting Point.

The big question now was how long the jet would be able to stay in the air and exactly where it was going to come down.

"He just dumped his…..fuel." David called out as he made a desperate grab for the map that was working it's way toward the broken window.

The jet's speed appeared to be decreasing as it headed inland and as they watched the plane's wings began to wobble back and forth erratically. It was all too apparent that the pilot was losing control of the aircraft and that it would be on the ground within minutes.

"He's heading for the cliffs!" Don yelled as his heart worked it's way up into his throat.

The white-knuckle grip he had on the steering wheel wasn't the only evidence of his distress as he made another hair-raising turn on the Pacific Highway.

"Get higher….you've got to get higher!" he was shouting at the top of his lungs, oblivious to the fact that the pilot couldn't hear him.

"Come on…come on….pull up!" Megan was yelling at the plane.

Don cursed under his breath and then voiced his frustration. "What the hell is wrong with that pilot….can't he see what's up ahead. It's not like you could miss those cliffs!"

Don raced along the coastal road trying to keep the jet in sight. Every time it dipped he held his breath, only to release it again moments later as the pilot managed to get the plane a little higher again. He knew where it was headed though, and he watched in dread as it maintained it's course for the La Jolla sea cliffs.

Suddenly it disappeared over the top of the Projecting Point and Don veered off the road and skidded to a stop at a an overlook point directly beneath the cliffs.

"Oh God, no!" Don gasped out as he scrambled out of the car. He slowly removed his sunglasses and stared upward in silence, horror and loss etched into his features. Covering his mouth with one hand he began to whisper his brother's name over and over in a horrified voice.

"Charlie…Charlie….no…no…oh…no."

An unearthly silence seemed to engulf them, only the sounds of the wind and the waves hitting the seawall could be heard. The agents stood still and silent, overwhelmed by the sight of the tail of the plane dangling over the edge of the cliffs.

Sound returned and more car doors could be heard as the rest of the entourage pulled off to join them.

The blood seem to drain from Don's face as he sank to his knees. "I killed him…I killed Charlie." he whispered brokenly. "I killed my brother."

Fighting back the moisture at the corners of her eyes, Megan knelt down by Don's side and reached for his hand. She gave it a gentle squeeze but he didn't seem to notice that she was there. She swallowed thickly and squeezed his hand a little harder to try and get his attention.

" Don?" she said his name softly and felt a tear slide down her cheek, losing her battle to keep the tears at bay.

He turned his face toward her and she caught her breath at the turmoil that was reflected in his dark eyes. Don's face had gone chalk-white and the trickle of blood on his temple stood out in stark contrast. He opened his mouth several times to say something but finally he just turned away, lifting his eyes to the top of the cliff.

Megan wiped at her tears then leaned over and put an arm around his shoulders.

"Don, we don't know for sure if….I mean…he might have …you know…he might be okay." Her voice faded away weakly as she glanced up at the plane dangling over the cliff above her.

Colby knelt down to face the older agent and gripped his arm tightly. "Don, listen to me. In Afghanistan, I witnessed a lot of plane crashes and some of them were so bad that you just knew there couldn't be any survivors. " he paused as the other man slowly lowered his eyes and made eye contact with him. "But when we got to those planes, in some cases, people did walk away from them. We couldn't explain it, but it happened." he stood up and shrugged his shoulders. "Look, man, I'm just saying ….don't give up yet…there's a chance that Charlie might still be alive."

David squeezed his friend's shoulder. "Colby's right Don, we don't know anything yet."

Don took a deep shuddering breath and slowly got to his feet. He glanced at the plane above him before putting his glasses back on and getting himself under control. The agent could see sympathy on the faces of Walker and the other men who had followed him on the chase and he turned his face away, clenching his jaw and pulling on his years of training as an FBI agent, to push his emotions and fears aside. Colby was right, he told himself, Charlie might have survived the crash. He gently pushed the hope that his brother might have survived into a small corner of his heart and cradled it protectively, unwilling to give it up completely, and then he became the professional agent once again.

Megan was on the phone with the Point Mugu Naval Base trying to coordinate a rescue party. "Yes, that's right." She answered, holding the phone closely to her ear. "North on Pacific Coast highway, the plane crashed on the cliff top of Projecting Point. We are going to need medical and rescue personnel. Reeves out." she closed her phone .

"Point Mugu is sending out a chopper."

"How soon?" Don asked as his eyes drifted back to the top of the cliffs.

"Fifteen minutes, maybe sooner." she said dully.

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Alexis Krill and James Picarry were accustomed to getting out of tight spots and this one was proving to be no exception. Working as mercenary's did have it's advantages, especially when they ran into a situation like this. As soon as the plane broke apart they had jumped and rolled away from the wreckage but neither man had escaped unscathed.

Krill's right shoulder had gotten pretty banged up and Picarry thought he might have broken a few ribs when he landed on the ground. All things considered however, they weren't complaining; they had both been dam lucky to be still breathing.

They stood up cautiously and perused the area. The wreckage was spread over three hundred yards and so far they were the only one's moving around on the cliff top.

"Do you think anyone else made it?" Alexis asked as he slowly started to sort through the debris.

Picarry shrugged as he began to search around. "Who cares, we made it, that's all that counts." he picked his way around pieces of the wreckage. "Do you see the moneybag anywhere?"

"Not …" his partner started to answer. Krill froze and tilted his head slightly. "Listen, do you hear that? Someone's yelling for help."

"Yeah…I hear it too." he pointed toward the tail section, "It's coming from over there."

They hurried over to the edge of the cliff and carefully looked into the wreckage of the tail section of the jet. A gaping hole now replaced the floor that had once occupied the space. Silently, they exchanged looks and backed away from the wreckage.

Suddenly a voice gasped out pleadingly. "Help …me …please"

The two mercenaries crept back to the edge and peered into the hole from a different angle. From this vantage point they could see a pair of hands holding onto a piece of metal just below the opening in the floor.

"Benton, is that you man?" Krill called out sharing a grin with Picarry. "You've got yourself in a bit of a spot, eh?"

"Yes….yes…hurry please!" Tad Benton was Bashere's bodyguard and driver. He was a large man who weighed at least 250 lbs and he could be very intimidating when he needed to be. "Cut the…crap, Krill. Get ..me…out of here!"

"Sorry, mate, no can do, but don't worry we'll take care of your share of the money." Alexis called over his shoulder as they moved away from the edge.

"No!…come back!" Benton screamed. Suddenly the sound of ripping metal filled the air and they heard a blood curdling scream. "Noooooooooo! The yell faded away and silence once again encompassed the cliff top.

Picarry smiled at his partner. "Oops!"

"Yeah, come on, let's find that money." They were nearing the cockpit when they noticed hundred dollar bills floating around the clearing. Rushing toward the largest cluster of bills they found the duffel bag containing the millions that Bashere had taken from the armored car heist. The bag had a tear in it and some of the bills had become unbundled and were now flying around the cliff top, spurred on by the ocean breeze. Grinning, they gathered up the bag along with their automatic weapons that were near by.

"Now this is what I call lucky." Alexis commented as he slung his automatic rifle over his shoulder with care and picked up the duffle bag with his left hand. "Come on, let's see if Bashere survived the crash."

His partner stepped in front of him blocking his path and with a raised eyebrow and a stiffness in his demeanor he asked? "And if he did?"

"Then I suppose we'll just have to finish him off, won't we?" Krill responded. "The man gives me the creeps but he has a lot of contacts so if he survives and discovers that we've gone, he'll come after us. I want to be sure that he doesn't."

Picarry nodded his head in agreement. "Right, what about the Professor, if he's still alive I mean? We might need a hostage to get out of this."

Krill shook his head. "No, he would just slow us down and besides if the Fed's find him they won't be looking so hard to find us." he paused and looked around at the debris field. "They're both probably dead anyway."

They were just about to check the forward half of the plane when they heard a helicopter approaching.

"Shit!" Picarry muttered. "That was fast, we'll never be able to get down the mountain now."

His partner pulled his gun from around his shoulder and scanned the site. "Let's head for those trees. We'll shoot the chopper down and the Fed's will have to think twice before they send up another one. It just might buy us enough time to put some distance between us."

As one the mercenaries headed for the tree line and crouched down under the cover of the dense chaparral bushes and yucca plants and waited for the chopper to make it's appearance.

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"Hey! Look at that... someone is hanging from the plane!" an officer cried out, pointing upward. "I can see his feet!"

Everyone raced over to the edge of the overlook and raised their binoculars again. Sure enough a pair of sneakers were hanging just below the dangling tail section of the jet. A hundred feet of water separated the overlook from the base of the cliff and the water level was at it's highest. High tide had arrived and the water was breaking near the top of the surrounding sea walls. Even if they had a boat to take them to the cliff side, they all knew there wasn't any way that they could reach the man in time to save him.

As everyone watched the man dropped lower and now they could clearly see jeans and part of a shirt. Either the man was losing his grip or the object that he was holding onto was separating from the plane because a few minutes later he slipped even lower and was now completely visible. His striped shirt was open and a gun holster could be seen hanging on from his shoulder.

Don silently exhaled a breath of relief. It was one of the kidnappers but larger than the three that were at the house. This man was a lot taller and heavier than the others.

The law enforcement personnel on the overlook stared at the man in silence realizing that there was nothing that they could do to help him. He was going to fall unless there was someone up on the cliff top that could lend him a hand. The man's head was tilted upward and he appeared to be calling out to someone above him. Ultimately the piece of metal that he was holding onto gave way and he scrambled frantically for something else to grab a hold of; his fingers desperately clutched at the cliff wall before gravity finally claimed him.

"Oh, dear God!" Megan covered her mouth as the man began to fall.

They were too far away to hear his screams but could clearly see his mouth open as he fell. His body bounced from rock to rock as he flew down the cliff side. The man had stopped screaming long before his body landed on top of the seawall at the base of the cliffs. It lay on top of the wall for only a moment before the breaking waves pulled it over the side and into the water.

Through the binoculars Don could see the man's face. His head was all battered and bleeding and his eyes were open and staring. The agent knew he was already dead before the body sank below the surface.

Without taking his eyes from the water the lead agent issued the order for the coast guard to be contacted.

Walker took charge. "Samuels." he called out. A young officer hurried over to his side. "Yes, Lieutenant?"

"Get on the horn and inform the Coast Guard that we need assistance."

"Yes, sir, right away sir." he answered as he hurried to the patrol car.

Don's eyes had drifted back up to the cliff top. Someone else had survived, the man had been calling to someone. That meant more survivors , that meant Charlie might still be alive too. Hope glinted suddenly in his brown eyes and he turned quickly to Megan.

"How long did you say it would take the chopper to get here?"

"I'd say about five minutes." Walker said dryly as he pointed to a helicopter that was rapidly approaching the cliffs.

Don turned quickly to Megan. "Get them on the phone, I need to talk to them right away."

A half a second later she was handing him her cell phone.

"This is Special Agent Don Eppes of the FBI. Who am I talking too?"

"Captain James Harper, US Navy." Over."

"Captain Harper, we were in pursuit of the downed aircraft. The men on board are considered armed and dangerous. Approach with caution. There are at least three hostiles, possibly more. Be advised, there is a kidnap victim on board and his safety is a priority."

"Roger that Agent Eppes. What do you want us to do?" Over."

"Captain Harper, this is still an FBI operation. If your craft is equipped with surveillance equipment I want photographs taken immediately."

"Roger that Agent. I'm turning the cameras on now."

" I'll need those sent to our headquarters in Los Angeles right away." he paused and turned to David. "Call Stendhouser and have her get those photos right away." he put the phone back to his ear. "Captain, I'm standing at the base of Projecting Point and I want you to tell me what you are seeing right now."

The Naval helicopter was almost to the edge of the cliff but it already had a clear view of the crash site.

"Agent Eppes, the plane was split in half on impact. There's no evidence of an explosion or fire." he cleared his voice and continued. "The tail section is hanging over the side; but you already know that. The cockpit and forward compartment are approximately three hundred yards from the edge, wedged between some trees"

Don kept his voice steady and professional as he asked his next question. "Do you see any survivors or bodies lying around the area?"

The helicopter had passed from view and was now hovering over the crash site itself.

"Negative, Agent Eppes on both counts. There's just too much debris lying around to be sure. I'm going down for a closer look. Harper out."

Abruptly the helicopter came into view again and rapidly moved out over the water. Smoke was trailing from the side and it was having trouble maintaining altitude.

"Shots fired! Shots fired! Agent Eppes , your hostiles have survived!" The radio was still open and they could hear the pilot reporting the incident and heading back to base.

"Sorry, Agent Eppes, we can't help you anymore. I've got to get this bird back to base while I still can. Harper out."

"Was anyone hurt Harper?" Don asked anxiously.

"Negative, but were losing fuel. Over."

"Captain Harper did you return fire?" Don asked with a controlled effort, his forehead creased with worry as he waited for a response.

"Negative Agent Eppes. Harper out." The pilot didn't waste anymore time but was already becoming a dot in the late afternoon sky.

"Good luck to you Captain Harper." Don returned solemnly.

"Now what?" David asked. "We can't land a rescue helicopter up there with someone taking shots at them and it will be dark before we can get our own assault choppers out here"

"Yeah and even they can't go up there in the dark, the headlights would make them sitting ducks." Colby added dryly.

"Well, we've got to get up there somehow." Don anxiously scrubbed his hand through his hair and paced around in a circle. He stopped suddenly and turned to Sinclair. "David, where did you put that map?"

"Just a sec." he hurried over to the SUV and grabbed the map from a pocket on the back of the driver's seat. Don , Walker and the rest of the team followed him to the car and as the sun continued on it's descent they spread the map out over the hood of the vehicle and reviewed their options.

"Look, the Projecting Point is at the northern boundary of the Point Mugu State Park." he said pointing to a large area on the map. "Here's the entrance to the Park, we should be able to get up to the cliff from this point. Come on, let's find that ranger station." he glanced over his shoulder at the declining sunlight. "We don't have much time, it's going to get dark soon." he grabbed the map and handed it to David before pulling his keys out.

"Gary, can you stay here until I can get another agent on site?" he asked as he reached for the car door.

"You don't even have to ask Eppes." Walker returned. "I'll let you know if we discover anything on the body."

With a simple nod of his head Don thanked the lieutenant and reached for the door. It took the agent two attempts to get his car door open, the collision had pushed the door out of alignment and it was catching on the frame. Megan was already on the phone and Colby and David were already reviewing the map when he was finally seated and buckling his seat belt.

Megan turned to him as he was pulling back out on the coastal highway. "Don, I have the park ranger on the line."

"Tell him that we need a fast way to get up to that cliff top before it gets dark and we don't have any time to waste."

Megan glanced solemnly at the position of the sun. At the rate it was descending it was going to be dark by the time they got to the ranger's station. She glanced sideways at her partner, noting the tightness around his eyes and the way that he was clenching his jaw tightly and decided not to worry him with that little detail.

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"_he's set me free… he's set me free…he's set me free."_

These words were echoing over and over in Charlie's mind and for some reason he couldn't seem to get them to stop. They continued to swirl around in his head amid odd sounds and sensations. At length the sounds chased the words away and the sensations turned into pain and discomfort as he slowly regained consciousness.

Was he dreaming…..it felt like a dream……well, if it was a dream he didn't like it very much. He was feeling a distinct pain in his side and he was having trouble breathing; something was very wrong.

He opened his eyes slowly and had to blink several times to clear them. The first thing that he saw was a ball of bright light. Charlie stared at it for a few seconds longer before comprehending that he was looking at the sun. It was low in the sky but still shining brightly.

'_The question was: why was he seeing it at this angle?" _Puzzled, he glanced around the area. He lifted his and discovered that he was lying on the floor of the plane and that the sun was coming in through an opening at the rear of the cabin, an opening that shouldn't have been there.

"_I remember now…the plane crashed…but shouldn't I be dead?"_

He blinked several more times and tried to sit up, only to discover that he couldn't move. There was a heavy weight pressing down on him and the only thing that he could raise was his head; something was holding him down. He lowered his eyes to his chest and stared in amazement at the top of a head resting on his shoulder. His brown eyes widened in panic and his skin began to crawl as he realized the identity of the person lying on top of him. Bashere was unconscious but alive, Charlie could feel the man's chest rising and falling against his own.

"**Bashere!" **Sudden uncontrollable fear came over him and Charlie shouted the man's name out loud. The fact that he had survived the plane crash was abruptly forgotten and the only thing that mattered was to get out from under the Frenchman. His heart pounded in his chest and he ignored the pain in his side as he struggled to get free. Charlie's left arm had been pulled across his chest and was caught beneath the man's body. He pushed at the limp body with his right hand and desperately tried to squirm out from under him. Bashere might have been unconscious but his body completely covered the mathematicians and effectively pinned Charlie's legs to the floor.

Grunting with the effort the young man kept pushing and shoving at the body until he was finally able to get his right leg free and in a position where he could use his knee as a lever and push against the man's body. Sweat was running down Charlie's face from his efforts and he had to stop to catch his breath as a particularly sharp pain lanced through his side. A second after the pain subsided he was once again pushing against the body but this time he felt the pressure on his left arm lessen and hope infused his efforts.

Finally with one mighty heave, he rolled the man over and sat up quickly, scooting away from the man's body until the arm that he was handcuffed to jerked him to a stop. Wide-eyed and breathing heavily he searched the man's face to see if he was awake. There was blood running down the side of his face from a cut on his forehead but at the moment he wasn't showing any signs of regaining consciousness.

""No, don't wake up yet…please…not yet!" he muttered to himself. Charlie had to get away, he couldn't stand touching the man. Swallowing hard, he fought with himself to think rationally. "_The key, he said the key was in his pocket." _

Tentatively, he stretched out his hand and pushed the man's shoulder. Nothing, no movement at all. With a look of revulsion on his face he took a shaky breath and moved closer to the man. Cautiously at first he started searching through the man's pockets but as his efforts failed to find the key his actions became more desperate.

"_Come on, where is it? He said it was in his pocket, it's got to be here! How many dam pockets does he have? _" he thought to himself. " _Wait …the shirt pocket …. that has to be where it is." _

Charlie watched the man's face closely as he gently lifted up the jacket and felt the breast pocket of Bashere's shirt. He let out a sigh of relief as he felt the shape beneath his fingers and slowly slid his hand into the man's pocket. He quickly snatched the key and scooted backwards as far as he could go before the handcuff halted his progress He was so desperate to get free that he fumbled with the key several times before the cuff finally opened and he was able to pull his hand loose. Charlie barely contained a sob of relief as he slipped from the restraints that had bound him to the deranged man.

The young man kept his eyes on the Frenchman as he slid backwards, only stopping when his back hit the side of the plane. He sat there, catching his breath until a sudden irrational fear enveloped him. "_Bashere had been lying on top of him!…. what if_?-- the thought didn't get any further as he frantically checked his clothing. Anxiously he checked to see if he was still fully dressed and that everything was securely fastened. A part of him new that he was behaving irrationally, that he should be more concerned with the fact that he he had been in a plane crash, but the threat of Bashere touching him had been real and no matter how hard he tried to put it aside, he couldn't, he had to be sure. Finally convinced that Bashere hadn't taken advantage of him, his breathing began to return to normal and as rational thought returned he began to feel a little foolish, that given the circumstances, he seemed more relieved that Bashere hadn't had a chance to touch him than the fact that he had just survived a plane crash.

He shifted his position and felt the pain in his side again. In his momentary panic he had completely missed the tear in his tee shirt. It stretched across his right side and was covered with a red stain. He winced as he lifted up the shirt and wiped at the blood on his skin. He had a four inch gash in his side but it wasn't very deep and had already started to clot. Charlie's eyes drifted back to the spot where he had been lying on the floor and couldn't suppress a shiver when he saw a jagged piece of metal sticking straight up through the floor. If he had landed a half an inch to the right it would have impaled him.

He swallowed nervously and for the first time he took a really good look around the wrecked cabin.


	24. Chapter 24

Obsession

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews and your continued support of this story.

Chapter 24:

Michael Whittemore glanced casually around the busy terminal of Red Hawk Private Air. He had earned a reputation in the Los Angeles area for sniffing out the news; it was like a sixth sense to him, and he had many awards adorning his office walls to prove it. Airports were always a good news source and earlier in the week he had started an article on security issues at private airports. Red Hawk Private Air was known to cater to the elite crowd and he was hoping to prove with his expose that they were given preferential treatment. Michael had left his cameraman in the van, ready "to roll" immediately if he found anything newsworthy.

Suddenly someone shouted. "Hey, the police are on the runway!"

Whittemore joined the throng and headed for the glass windows overlooking the runway and witnessed the collision of the SUV and the plane. "_Dam, too bad we didn't get that on video_." he muttered to himself as he turned and shoved his way out of the crowd. He literally ran to the news van and jerked open the door and hastily climbed in.

"Is something going on?" his cameraman asked as he started up the van. "Security just got tighter and I heard a lot of sirens. Did you see something?" The news van only had a partial view of the runway so the man had missed the chase.

"Hell, yeah!" the reporter responded excitedly. "Hurry, follow those cars!" he said pointing to the caravan of flashing red and blue lights.

As the news van joined the chase, Whittemore pulled out his cell phone and called his news desk. "This is Whittemore, I'm working on a breaking story. Have someone check with the police and FBI for activity at Red Hawk Private Air in Hermosa Beach." he grabbed the dashboard as they made a sharp turn on the highway. "Tell them to hurry, this could be an exclusive."

"It looks like they're following that jet." Michael turned to his cameraman. "Warren, pull off here and trade places with me. I'll drive, you need to get footage of the jet." They rapidly changed places and in just a matter of minutes had rejoined the chase.

"Hey, look, it's heading back in...but I think there's something wrong with it." the cameraman exclaimed.

"I'm not surprised, it collided with that SUV up ahead. It looked like the FBI was trying to keep it from taking off."

Without taking his eyes off of the plane Warren asked. "So what do you think...drugs or maybe terrorism?" but before the reporter could respond the cameraman blurted out. "The plane just dumped his fuel, he's going to try and land!"

"Pull off...pull off now!" Warren shouted and opened his door before Michael had come to a complete stop. He kept his camera on the jet and followed it's course toward the cliffs. "Oh, my God! It crashed on the Poin!"

Warren was a seasoned photographer and he knew what the networks wanted. He zeroed in on the dangling tail section and then slowly panned down the side of the cliff, shrewdly drawing attention to the distance between the top of the cliff and the sea wall at the bottom. Next, he panned to the overlook and the law enforcement personnel that dotted the area. He was surprised when one of the agents dropped to his knees, seemingly in shock. This was something he had never witnessed before so he focused the camera on the agent. The man looked familiar but he couldn't quite place him and it looked as if the other agents were trying to console him.

"Michael, do you see this? There is something else going on here...you know...it looks to me like one of the agents might be personally involved."

The reporter nodded his head thoughtfully, he had seen it all through a pair of binoculars. "I agree and I know who that agent is. That's Don Eppes, he heads the LA FBI task force on violent crimes, a real "hard-ass", he doesn't like to work with the media."

Warren snorted. "He doesn't look so tough now."

"No, he doesn't." Whittemore agreed. " You know, his kid brother is that math genius. I wonder..." Michael pulled out his cell phone and hit the speed dial. "This is Whittemore again. Have someone check the police records for any reports involving anyone with the name of "Eppes." Yeah, "Eppes" as in Professor Charles Eppes and put a rush on it, will ya?" He closed his phone and watched as the agent put his sunglasses back on and silently stared up at the cliff top.

The cameraman whistled through his teeth. "You think the Professor might have been on that plane? Man, that would be one hell of a story."

Whittemore lifted his binoculars to the top of the cliffs. "Yeah...and it's my exclusive."

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Charlie closed his eyes, letting his head fall back against the plane and immediately regretted it. Gently he felt the back of his head with his fingers and discovered a small bump and cut. "_That explains why I passed out and my pounding headache." _he thought grimly. There was a slight trickle of blood trailing down the back of his neck and he absently wiped at it with his hand, grimacing when he saw the red stain on his fingertips. He wiped them on his tee shirt, a few more bloodstains more or less weren't going to make any difference now; the shirt was already ruined. Charlie sighed and ruefully stared at the torn and bloody tee shirt. It had been a birthday gift from Don, no that wasn't right, it was a replacement for the shirt that had been ruined in his last encounter with Bashere. That shirt had been the original birthday gift. He made a mental note to tell his brother not to buy him anymore shirts;they seemed to bring him bad luck. The discovery of the cut on his head convinced him that he needed to check himself over for more injuries. After a cursory examination he found only the two wounds and considering the fact that he had just been in a plane crash he found it quite remarkable that he hadn't incurred more.

The sound of helicopter blades abruptly broke through the silence and he turned to look at the opening at the rear of the plane. From his position he had a limited view of the cliff and only a partial view of the rest of the plane. A relieved smile crossed his features. "_Don. I knew he'd come."_ Excitedly he stood up but was suddenly assailed by a bout of dizziness. He quickly braced himself against the wall while his vision darkened and he broke out in a cold sweat . Charlie wasn't sure if it was the hit on the head or the residual effects of the sedative that he had been given that was making him a little woozy. He took a few deep breaths to help clear his head and remained against the wall until the cabin stopped spinning. "_Okay, so maybe it's a combination of both, the drug and the cut on my head." _he muttered to himself_. "or...or... maybe I just stood up too fast...that's it, I got up too quickly."_

The noise from the helicopter was getting louder so he assumed that it was close to landing. Bracing himself against the wall, he slowly started working his way toward the opening, carefully stepping over the debris. He was almost past Bashere when his eyes fell on the loose cuff lying on the floor and still attached to the unconscious man's arm. He absently checked his jeans pocket where he had put the key to the handcuff and he realized that he should restrain the man before he regained consciousness. The helicopter forgotten for the moment, he scanned the immediate area for something to attach the loose handcuff too. His eyes drifted to one of the chairs that they had been sitting in. It had been bent by the force of the crash but the base was still firmly attached to the floor and small enough to latch the cuff around it. Keeping an eye on the man's face Charlie grabbed the cuff and pulled Bashere forward until his arm was close enough to the chair for Charlie to close the cuff around it. He felt a moment of satisfaction when he heard the click as the cuff locked around the iron shaft.

"See how you like it." he said to the unconscious man as he continued to work his way toward the opening but before he could step out into the sunlight, gunfire erupted forcing him back into the cabin. He crouched down behind pieces of the couch and strained to hear what was happening outside of the plane. To his dismay he heard the helicopter leaving and shortly thereafter he could hear voices. They had to be Bashere's henchmen, the ones that had taken him from his home. He sank even lower behind the broken couch and listened quietly while they discussed their plans.

"Let's go, let's get out of hear before they come back." A voice with an accent called out near the opening.

Charlie's heart lifted a little at those words. "_Good_." he thought "_Maybe they won't look inside of the plane." _but it quickly sank at the next words.

"Shouldn't we check and see if anyone is alive in there?" A second accented voice inquired.

"Go ahead, but I'm getting out of here. I'm pretty sure the police won't risk coming back tonight but I'm not sticking around to be sure. It's going to get dark soon and I want to be as far away from here as I can get."

"Yeah, your probably right. Le's go."

Charlie listened with bated breath as the voices and the sounds of the men's footfalls faded off into the woods. The young professor thoughtfully reflected on their words. "_They were right." _he mused. "_Don wouldn't risk sending another helicopter up now, he won't take the chance of sending someone into an ambush." _He rubbed his face tiredly. Don would have to wait until morning, he would need time to organize an assault, probably by air and land simultaneously. That meant a night on the clifftop, alone with a madman, and all he had to do was make it through the night. He glanced at Bashere, at least when the man woke up, he wouldn't have to worry about him trying anything.

At length, he stood up again deciding to check for other survivors and started to work his way toward the cockpit. Carefully stepping around the loose debris he worked his way toward the front of the plane. The door had been torn from the frame and now lay on the floor, blocking the doorway. He gingerly stepped on it and peered into the cockpit.

His brown eyes widened in horror at the grisly scene before him and his reaction was instantaneous, staggering sideways he fell to his knees. It didn't take long for him to empty his stomach and after a few minutes he wiped his mouth on the sleeve of his shirt. He swallowed hard against more bile in his throat and pushed himself back up again while he gazed sadly at the two men still buckled in their seats. The pilot and co-pilot had both been decapitated by the crash. Tree branches had pushed the window of the cockpit directly at the two men and they had died instantly.

On wobbly legs he worked his way back toward the opening, pausing halfway to catch his breath and to give his pounding head and aching side a rest. His eyes drifted over to the unconscious man. The young mathematician leaned weakly against the side of the plane and studied the man's face closely. The Frenchman almost looked harmless with his eyes closed and as Charlie stared silently at the face of Angus Fitzgerald, a part of him was still amazed that the affable Scotsman was really Henri Bashere. With his eyes closed he looked like Angus, only with a new haircut and hair color, but when those brown eyes were open there was no doubt that he really was the Frenchman. Charlie's forehead creased in thought, wait, didn't Angus have green eyes_. "Of course, green contact lenses_." Bashere had thought of everything and had been living next door to the them for almost two weeks . The man had completely fooled all of them.

Charlie closed his eyes and rubbed at his temples. He needed to get outside and check around for supplies that would help him survive the night. Charlie didn't really want to stay in the jet, especially with the dead pilots near by, but the plane would offer shelter and protection from the local wildlife. The night would get cooler and if he could find a blanket out there it would certainly come in handy, not to mention some water or maybe those crackers that he had turned down earlier. He glanced at Bashere as he started to push away from the wall and froze. Those eyes were now open; Fitzgerald had vanished and he found himself staring into the cold eyes of Henri Bashere.

Henri wiped the blood from his forehead and pulled himself up into a sitting position. He glanced around the once luxiouous cabin, taking in the destruction and the opening at the rear of the plane before settling his gaze back upon the young man. "I must say this is certainly a pleasant surprise."

Charlie was amazed at how quickly his hatred for the man resurfaced and he clenched his teeth together in his effort to keep his anger under control. He raised his chin and stared defiantly at the man.

"How can you be so flippant? The pilots are dead and at this point I'm not sure how many people have survived?"

"I am alive and appear to be all in one piece." he answered nonchalantly. "You are alive, and I confess, I would have been very disappointed if you had died in the crash." his tone changed to one of anger as he examined the cuff around his hand. "This, however, is unacceptable."

"Oh... but I left one of your hands free, isn't that acceptable by your standards?" Charlie asked, his tone of voice dripping with contempt for the man in front of him.

Bashere's stared at him through narrowed eyes. "Touche for the third time Professor. This game is over, release me!" he snarled viciously.

Charlie decided that he really didn't have the energy or the inclination to spar with the man, he really needed to get outside and get some fresh air. He pushed away from the wall and had to turn sideways to step around a large piece of the broken couch. The sudden movement caused the throbbing in his side to change to a stabbing pain and he winced as his hand went instinctively to his side.

The Frenchman's anger faded and his manner changed to one of concern as he noticed Charlie's reaction. "How seriously are you injured?" he stretched out his unshackled arm toward him. "You are bleeding, let me bandage it for you."

Charlie's eyebrows shot up in disbelief. "Your really are delusional. Do you honestly believe that I would let you come near me after what you have done?"

"Don't be an idiot!" the Frenchman responded heatedly. "You need help, release me at once!"

Charlie didn't even spare the man a second glance as he headed for the opening, desperately needing to put some distance between them. "I don't need your help, I can take care of myself."

"Wait, where are you going?' Bashere asked.

Charlie stopped at the opening and muttered. "To get some fresh air."

Bashere pulled angrily on the handcuff and hissed. "I order you to release me!"

Charlie looked back over his shoulder and glared at the man. "I don't take orders from you."

He stepped out into the sunlight and a small smile played across his lips when he heard Bashere swearing and rattling the handcuff that kept him chained to the chair.

However, Charlie's smile quickly faded as he stood silently on the cliff top and stared at the destruction that surrounded him. The area was deluged with debris, parts of the plane were scattered from the edge of the cliff to the trees and a deep gouge in the ground marked the cockpit's trail to the stand of tall oaks and sycamores that had finally put an end to it's journey. Contents of the plane littered it's path, suitcases had been ripped open and clothing lay strewn all over the ground as well as hanging from several tree limbs. Some of the lighter pieces of clothing were floating around in the air constantly moving from place to place, buffeted by the ever present sea breeze. Beverage and food containers were scattered everywhere and papers and dollar bills joined the clothing as the wind pushed them around the cliff top. He snatched one of the floating bills and amended his last thought._ "Make that one hundred dollar bills."_

His eyes drifted to the tail section of the plane and he absently tossed the bill back into the air as he made his way to the edge of the cliff. There had been at least three people behind the partition that had separated them and it looked as if the plane had split at that very point. "_So what happened to the people?" _He knew at least two of them had survived and were heading down the mountain, but what about his look alike? "_Adam? Yes, that was his name. __What happened to him?" _Charlie was afraid of what he would find in there but he knew he had to look. Reluctantly, he approached the rear section .

"Is anyone in there?" he called out. "Hello, does anyone need help?"

The sound of the wind was all that greeted him as he walked closer to the jagged opening. He bent over and looked inside and backed away in shock at the sight of the hole in the floor. It was empty. Charlie swallowed nervously_, "they must have been sucked out of the opening."_ he thought in horror, covering his mouth with his hand.

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Bashere was livid, how dare Charlie talk to him in that manner. He was going to have to teach that young man a lesson as soon as he removed the handcuffs. Angrily he glanced around the cabin looking for his brief case. Most of the items were still in the forward cabin, albeit broken and scattered around him, but they were still here. He started by moving objects that were close to him first, lifting up small pieces of things and tossing them out of his way. When that proved unsucessful, he pushed the debris around with his feet, his leg span was a lot longer that his arms and he was able to reach a much wider area but that still didn't turn up the elusive brief case. Ill-tempered, he banged on the chair with a leg of the broken coffee table, yelling and cursing loudly and finally, in a rage he threw the piece of wood at a pile of debris across from him.

Henri blinked in surprise when the piece of wood dislodged some debris revealing the brief case. He stared at it in disbelief, it had been within a few feet of him all along. He glanced back at the opening and then scooted around the chair, positioning himself so that he could get closer to the case. It was further away than it had looked, however, and he retrieved the piece of wood that he had thrown to try and pull it toward him. He was covered with sweat by the time he was able to hook the handle and pull the case forward, but finally his efforts were rewarded.

Exulting in his catch, Bashere keyed in the digital code to open the case and his eyes gleamed excitedly at the sound of the click as the case opened. He searched through the case, hastily pushing aside other articles, until he found a small object. Grinning from ear to ear he removed a key that was lying next to another pair of handcuffs "_it always pays to keep a spare on hand." _he thought smugly to himself. He inserted the key into the lock of the cuff that bound him to the chair and watched in satisfaction as it snapped open. The Frenchman quickly removed the cuffs and stuffed them into his pocket along with the key.

Bashere prided himself on always being prepared and he had learned over the years to keep a few necessary items with him at all times. The next article to come out of the brief case was an automatic pistol. He ejected the cartridge and checked the ammunition carefully before re-loading it back into the gun. His hand closed over several more cartridges and a switchblade which he quickly stuffed into his jacket pockets. He stood up slowly and leaned on the arm of the chair when he felt a slight wave of dizziness wash over him. The dizziness passed and he stood up straighter, scowling as his thoughts shifted to the young professor. "Enough is enough" he muttered to himself. He had been been more patient with Charlie than he had ever been with anyone else in his life and had actually altered his normal practices to try and gain his trust and love. Henri had even been willing to change his lifestyle for him and what had he received in return? Nothing...nothing but rejection and disdain, time and time again. All of the efforts that he had put into his plan had not only been for nothing but had also almost cost him his life as well. Bashere's eyes narrowed and his jaw tightened with a firm resolve as he stared at the opening.

"_Time to teach Charlie who is in charge_." he mumbled as he gripped the gun tightly in his hand and started forward.

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Charlie backed away from the tail section and glanced at the sun's position. He had to look for water and warm clothing before the sun went down and he was wasting time. He felt moisture running down his side and he lifted his shirt to take a look. The cut had broken open again and he now had a steady stream of blood running down his side. "_Okay, first things first, bandage this cut_." he thought to himself as he began to sort through the debris. He found an open suitcase full of new clothing, most of the items still had the tags attached and were sealed inside of plastic bags. There was even a new leather jacket folded neatly within the bag. He pulled the jacket out and laid it aside, that would definitely come in handy when the sun went down. Charlie spied a broken beverage container and hurried over to it hoping to find some water. He smiled in relief when he discovered a number of unbroken bottles of water and gathered up an armful, taking them back to the open suitcase. He sat down on his knees and fumbled in his jeans pocket for his pocket knife. Pulling it out he grabbed one of the sealed white shirts and ripped the bag open. Charlie spread the shirt out over the suitcase and began to cut long strips of material to use as bandages. Gently, he pulled the torn tee shirt over his head and tossed it to the ground. Next, he opened one of the water bottles and slowly poured it over his wound, wincing when it touched his skin. Charlie ripped open another bag and used that shirt as a towel, mopping up the excess blood and water as he cleaned the cut. Finally, he used the strips as bandages and wrapped them tightly around his torso, successfully stopping the bleeding. Using another part of the shirt as a washcloth, he cleaned the cut on the back of his head and wiped off his face as well as the back of his neck. Feeling more alert now, he guzzled down half a bottle of water before slowing down. It was warm but it felt so good sliding down his parched and dry throat.

Shouting and loud banging noises suddenly erupted from the plane reminding him that he wasn't alone on the escarpment. Charlie picked up his tee shirt and reluctantly tossed it back down again. There wasn't anyway that he was putting it back on so he began to sort through the shirts in the suitcase hoping to find one that would fit him. A chill ran up his spine as he realized that everything in the suitcase was exactly his size. From the shirts to the pants, everything within the bag would fit him perfectly. His face reddened with embarrassment as he noted the correct size on the underwear as well. Bashere had certainly been thorough in his research and at this point in time, Charlie didn't really want to think about how the man had found out so much man about him. He looked longingly at his own shirt lying in the dust and forced himself to find another one. He settled on a plain blue tee shirt and gently pulled it over his head then picked up the leather jacket and put it on. He didn't have to look at the size to know that it was going to be a perfect fit, and disgustedly, he ripped the tags from one of the sleeves.

Putting the origin of the clothes behind him, he sifted through the wreckage and found more water and several packets of crackers and peanuts. He stuffed them in the jacket pockets and continued to look around hoping to find a cell phone or flashlight. He knew the plane would offer the best shelter, but the thought of going back in there with Bashere and the dead pilots made his skin crawl. He was near the edge of the woods when he heard a noise coming from the direction of the plane and he stopped in mid-stride. Charlie's eyes widened in surprise as Bashere came staggering from the jet with a gun in his hand.

Without a moment's hesitation, Charlie darted into the woods with the sound of gunfire spurring him on.

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The black SUV and the FBI tactical van were once again racing madly along the coastal highway. The tension in the vehicle was almost palpable. No one spoke, all thoughts were on what they would find when they finally made it to the top of the cliffs.

Don was once again gripping the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckle's had turned white and were beginning to hurt. He didn't care though, it kept him grounded to reality, the pain kept him from giving in to the fear that his brother really had died in the crash. He looked at his watch for what must have been the hundredth time since they had left the site and was amazed to see that only thirty minutes had elapsed since the accident.

"How far and which way to the entrance?' he shouted , as his eyes met David's in the rear view mirror.

Colby helped David hold the map against the rush of wind coming through the broken window while he checked their location.

"Were almost there, it's up ahead on your left." David yelled back.

The agent flipped on his signal light and quickly turned onto the park road. It took them another ten minutes to locate the ranger headquarters at the base of the mountain. There was a police car already there and several ranger's were milling around outside of the building waiting for their arrival.

As soon as Don brought the vehicle to a stop he and his team jumped out of the car and rushed toward the entrance to the station. The ranger station was a log cabin styled building with a front porch equipped with several rocking chairs.

A medium-built man with graying hair and more than a few wrinkles on his face pulled himself up out of one of those chairs and met them at the top of the steps leading up to the porch. He thrust out his hand to the lead agent.

"I'm Jeff Cromwell, head ranger for the park."

The lead agent took it and met it with a firm grip. "I'm Special Agent Don Eppes and this is my team." he said indicating each one with his hand as he introduced them. "This is Agent Reeves. Sinclair and Granger." Don got right to the point. " We have a plane down on the cliffs and we need to get up there right away. I want you to show me the quickest way up the mountain, there isn't anytime to waste."

"It's not going to be that easy Agent Eppes. It will be dark soon and you don't want to be on those trails in the dark."

"There is a plane down, man. We know that there are survivors and we need to get going now!" Colby interrupted angrily.

"I understand that agent but what you don't seem to understand is that these trails are inaccessible at night." he moved toward the door of the station. "Come in here and let me show you something."

They quickly followed Cromwell into the station and over to a large area map of the Santa Monica Mountains.

"See here." he said pointing to the cliffs on the map. "Between our location and the Projecting Point are rugged buttes and deep gorges that are hard to find in the daylight, let alone at night. If we try to take a rescue party up there tonight, we'll end up with more injured people than you might have on that plane."

"That's unacceptable." Don was trying his best to remain calm, but an icy feeling in the pit of his stomach was making it hard to do so. He moved closer to the map and studied it. "This trail looks like it goes straight up to the site, why can't we take this one and leave now?" He countered, catching the ranger's eye and giving him a hard stare.

The ranger shook his head sadly, "I'm sorry Agent Eppes. As I said, the trail is inaccessible at night. The only trail up there is part of the Backbone Trail System and even an experienced hiker can't maneuver the trail at night." he glanced at the agents, a puzzled expression on his face. " May I ask why you haven't sent a rescue helicopter up there?"

Don's instinct told him that he could trust the ranger and since he was going to need the man's help he decided to bring him in on the investigation. "There are hostiles on board that plane Ranger Cromwell. We know that some of them survived because they opened fire on the helicopter that we sent up." he paused and turned to Megan. "If we can't get up there by foot then we'll have to send another chopper up. Get in touch with SWAT, order two..."

"Excuse me Agent Eppes, but you can't get a helicopter up there at night. It's very hard to judge how much room you have to land during the daylight and a night time landing would probably end up with the chopper going over the cliff. "

"They have lights don't they?" Don desperately retorted.

"Yes, Agent Eppes they have lights." Cromwell sighed at the desperation in the young man's voice. There was more going on here than just a downed plane, he would bet his job on it. "The lights get reflected back from the rocks giving the pilots a false reading. They could set the helicopters down on the edge of the cliff without even realizing it."

Don stepped closer to the ranger and his eyes narrowed. "I need to get up there… I can't wait until morning!

Cromwell had been a ranger for over thirty years and he was getting close to retirement. During that time he had seen a lot of desperate men and the desperation he saw in this young man's eyes spoke volumes to him. There was something more than just doing his job involved here. He glanced around at the other agents and studied their faces. "_Yes, definitely something personal going on here, I can see it in their eyes."_ Unfortunately, that didn't change anything, you just couldn't climb that mountain in the dark, no matter who was up there. He turned back to Don and asked his question.

"Who's on that plane Agent Eppes?"

Don looked away and swallowed hard and when he turned back he had unshed tears in his eyes. "My younger brother." he answered quietly.

Cromwell's eyes softened but he remained firm in his decision. "I'm sorry but we will have to wait until morning. We can have a rescue chopper here and ready to take off at dawn and we can be there within fifteen minutes."

Don turned away and stared at the darkening sky through the window. Every fiber in his body screamed to go up on that mountain right now, but he knew he had to follow the ranger's advice. He couldn't risk getting someone else killed in the process of getting to that plane. His shoulders slumped with the realization that he had no choice but to wait until morning. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up and met the sympathetic eyes of the old ranger.

"I'm sorry son." he said again. "There's a lodge two miles up the road. You should all go up and get yourselves something to eat and try to get some sleep. I'll have everything ready to go in the morning."

The agent pulled himself together. "This is still an FBI operation. Dr. Charles Eppes and the men that kidnapped him are on board that plane. These men are armed and dangerous and I do not intend to let any of them escape if they survived that crash. There will be three helicopters heading for that cliff in the morning Ranger Cromwell, and two of them will be FBI assault choppers. " he glanced around the room taking in the equipment and materials that were available.

Turning back to the ranger he pointed to a desk in the corner with a computer and printer set up. "Can we turn your station into a temporary headquarters?

The older man nodded thoughtfully. "Our equipment isn't the highest tech stuff around but it works for us. It's all yours Agent Eppes."

"Good, Megan get Stendhouser on the phone. See if she was able to get those photographs of the crash site from that Naval helicopter. I want them E-mailed to us ASAP. We need to see what happened up there."

Megan was already at the desk pulling out her phone before he had finished.

"David check with the airport security and get those security videos sent to the office, maybe we can get some I.D's on these guys. Have them send the pictures here so we know who to look for tomorrow."

"You got it Don." David responded as he flipped open his phone.

"Colby, get in touch with SWAT and get those chopper's lined up for tomorrow." He caught Cromwell's eye. " Tell them we plan to take off at 5:50 a.m. and not a second later."


	25. Chapter 25

Obsession

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: You guys are really awesome! Thank you so much for your reviews.

Chapter 25:

Bashere grunted and covered his eyes to protect them from the brightness of the sun as he stumbled from the plane. He recovered quickly however, and spotted Charlie at the exact moment that the Professor had noticed him. Instinctively the Frenchman raised is gun and fired but the young man had already disappeared into the woods. Bashere closed the distance quickly and scanned the trail ahead.

"You can't hide from me Charlie." he called out in a loud voice. "I'm a skilled tracker and trust me, you don't want me to come in there and hunt you down."

Getting no response he turned back toward the crash site and perused the area. First things first, he needed supplies and he quickly spotted the broken beverage container. He slipped the gun into his pocket and bent down to pick up several unbroken bottles. He opened one and guzzled it down in one shot, tossing the empty bottle to the ground almost immediately. Bashere absently wiped his mouth on the back of his hand as he eyes drifted around the cliff top. A small duffel bag that was lying nearby caught his eye and he picked it up, unceremoniously dumping the contents on the ground. He moved the meager belongings around with the toe of his shoe, reluctant to even touch them. There wasn't much there, only one change of clothing, but then Adam didn't have very much to bring along. _Adam? What happened to him anyway? _Not that he really cared, for that matter where were Krill, Picarry and Benton? He picked up the empty bag and gathered up more water bottles along with a few packs of peanuts. With a quick glance at the sun's position he hurried back to the plane and entered the cabin. He grabbed a flashlight and cigarette lighter from his brief case and hurried back outside. He hesitated when a glint of metal reflecting the sunlight caught his attention and he walked over to check it out. Bending down on one knee he studied the gun casings as well as two sets of tracks. It had to have been Krill and Picarry, but what were they shooting at? He straightened up and looked toward the edge of the cliff and spotted a thin trail of liquid that ended abruptly for no reason. He knelt down and touched it with his fingers, sniffing at the smell. Fuel...of course...the Fed's must have sent a chopper up right away, and his men had shot at it. That explained why the place wasn't swarming with FBI and rescue personnel. He smiled grimly and noticed the bills flying around, "_so they shot at the helicopter and ran off with my money, didn't even_ _bother to give me a hand_". He fingered the gun in his pocket and studied Krill and Picarry's trail. It was on the opposite side of the crash site from the one that Charlie had taken.

Slipping the bag over his shoulder he turned away and headed back across the cliff top toward the other trail. He would catch up to them another time, the Professor was more important at the moment. He was almost there when he noticed the body. It was partially hidden under a piece of the wing. Bashere hastened over to take a quick look and he barely gave the broken and bloody body of Adam a glance before he turned around and headed back to the edge of the woods. That accounted for everyone but Benton and he assumed that the man must have gone down in the tail section.

Henri glanced at the sun, he had maybe an hour before it went down, and Charlie had a thirty minute head start on him. He wasn''t worried though, men on the run always left a trail and Charlie was hurt, he wouldn't be able to go very fast. Bashere hadn't lied to Charlie, he really was a good tracker. He had actually successfully tracked several men just for the sport of it.

Unhurriedly, he started down the trail watching it closely for signs and grinned broadly at the first footprint. Humming softly to himself he continued on, occasionally picking up small twigs and stuffing them in his bag for the fire that he was going to need when the sun went down.

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Charlie ran and didn't look back. He heard Bashere's bullet hit a tree behind him but there hadn't been any sounds of pursuit since the man had called out to him. Not that it was going to make any difference because he had no intention of stopping until the sun set. In a near panic to put some distance between himself and Bashere, Charlie kept moving at a fast pace, only stopping when he needed to catch his breath and then for only a few minutes at a time.

At first the trail was flat so for the first twenty minutes he was able to cover a lot of ground but then the path began to grade upward and became more treacherous. Steep inclines and loose rocks, coupled with the waning light made each step more perilous. Charlie had no choice but to slow down and carefully pick his way along the trail. He kept moving , stopping every now and then to listen for any sounds of pursuit but he never heard any. This both puzzled and relieved him for he knew that Bashere would not give up. "_So why..." _he froze in mid-step. "_If the man really was a good tracker then he wouldn't have to hurry, he could take his time and follow me."_ Charlie looked back down the trail and spotted his footprints. In his haste to get away he had left the man a clear trail to follow; somehow he had to disguise his passage. He broke off a small leafy twig from a tree close to the trail and kept moving ahead, only walking backwards every now and again to erase his footprints. This worked until he came to a really steep incline and then he had no other choice but to turn back around again. At the top of the trail he turned to wipe a few of his prints away but lost his balance when he stepped on a loose stone. His arms windmilled at his sides as he tried to prevent himself from falling but his efforts failed and he tumbled down the side of the mountain. Charlie grabbed at the brush to try and slow his momentum as he slid down the ridge and managed to hang onto a root about ten feet into the slide.

Charlie lay still, gasping from the throbbing in his side and the new bruises he had received from the fall. "_Oh, God_." he whispered, as a particularly sharp pain radiated across his side. He lay there, hanging on tightly to the root while the spasm subsided. He raised his head slowly telling himself that he had to keep moving, that he had to find shelter before the sun set. Charlie took a deep shuddering breath and pushed himself up to his knees and looked around the hillside. Slowly and painfully he climbed back on to the trail just as the sun appeared to be sitting on the tops of the trees. He knew that he wouldn't get much further tonight, not only because of his injuries but also because of the hazardous trails. Charlie had hiked parts of the La Jolla Park before and was aware that not only were there dangerous animals in the area but he also knew that many of the paths themselves were very treacherous. "_Just like this one." _he thought darkly. His one consolation was that Bashere would have to stop too. No matter how good a tracker he might be, even he wouldn't be able to track him in the dark.

Charlie kept walking until he spied a grove of majestic old oaks about sixty yards from the edge of the trail but he continued up the path until it curved around a bend. He doubled back, doing his best to step only on rocks and wiping any new tracks that he had made. He wasn't sure if it was going to work but he felt that he had to try it and at the very least maybe it would by him a little time. He veered off the path toward the oaks and cautiously wiped out his footprints. Moving quicker than he thought possible, Charlie soon found himself walking beneath the old oaks.. His eyes drifted over the massive trees, momentarily overwhelmed by their size. If he could just find a way to get up in one of them he might have a chance to survive this night. He hurried through the trees, searching for the one that would meet his needs. Finally, he spotted the perfect one and stood beneath it, checking out the branches. The shadows began to thicken and he looked to the sky, the sun had begun it's descent behind the trees; he had to hurry. Charlie felt around the tree trunk and found a small knot that he could put his foot in and reach the lowest branch. His first attempt to pull himself up ended in failure, leaving him weakly leaning against the tree trunk and he realized with dismay that his strength was failing. Charlie stubbornly set his jaw and pushed the toe of his shoe back into the knot of the tree. He pulled himself up and stretched out his arm for the lowest branch. Just as he thought he was going to have to let go his fingers curled around the branch and with a sudden surge of adrenaline he managed to climb up and stand on the oak branch. He gasped in relief and closing his eyes he pressed his forehead against the tree trunk. His lips curved upward in a slight smile, he could do this, it wasn't going to be easy, but he could do this. Taking a deep breath and willing himself to ignore the pain he began his ascent through the lofty branches of the oak until he was around fifty feet from the ground. It was more painful than he had imagined but desperation spurred him on and he couldn't afford to stop;;he had to get situated before he was in complete darkness. He was panting from the effort now and more than once he had to stop when his vision started to blur. Finally he found a branch large enough for him to sit on without falling off and with the heavy foliage hiding him from view he sat down with his back pressed solidly against the tree trunk. He felt a smaller branch on his right side so he shifted a little so that he could lean into it and hook his arm around it to prevent himself from falling out of the tree if he fell asleep.

Sweat was dripping down the sides of his face as he leaned his head back against the tree and closed his eyes. He tried to focus on the sounds around him instead of the hammering of his heart and the constant throbbing in his side. At length the pain subsided to a dull ache and his heartbeat slowed down giving him a little relief. He stretched his legs out in front of him and crossed them at the ankles, making himself a little more comfortable and glanced up at the horizon just as it deepened into a dark purple and gold.

Charlie sat in the semi-darkness, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the dimness of the light. Twilight had always been a peaceful time for him but not this time. This time he was on edge and he strained to hear every little sound around him, listening for any signs of the madman that was chasing him. It had been at least an hour since he had any contact with Bashere but he kept his guard up anyway. The man was unpredictable when he was in control of a situation so Charlie couldn't imagine what he would be like now.

He shifted around on the limb again and felt something trickling down his side. Sighing, he lifted his shirt and felt a slight flow of blood dripping from his wound. Either the fall or his climb up the tree had re-opened a part of the cut. It wasn't much so he wiped at the excess with the tip of his shirt hoping that it would stop bleeding soon. He reached for the small branch again and instinctively tightened his grip as complete darkness enveloped him.

There would be a full moon again tonight, he told himself, and then it wouldn't be so dark, stars would come out to help brighten the night sky and then he wouldn't feel so alone. Was it just last night that he had set upon the hillside with Amita in his arms? The events of the day had clouded his mind and he exhaled a shaky breath of relief when the erie silence was replaced by the sounds of the creatures that inhabited the woods. Night birds began to call to one another, insects and frogs had come out to began their nightly rituals.

His breathing slowed down and he began to feel more at ease and for the first time since the whole nightmare had started he was actually beginning to think rationally. All he had to do was stay away from Bashere and wait for dawn. The morning sunlight would bring his brother and rescue from this terrible ordeal. He had no doubt that by dawn the crash site would be swarming with FBI agents and rescue personnel . Don and the team would be there and they would finally get Bashere. That madman would be out of his life forever.

Hope….he now had a sense of hope and he felt his heart flutter at the thought. All he had to do was survive the night and stay out of Bashere's way. Charlie closed his eyes and resisted the urge to calculate his odds of survival.

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Jeff Cromwell leaned casually against the wall and noted with astonishment how quickly his small station had become a satellite office for the FBI. Not that he was complaining, he watched with interest as the agents gathered the information on the individuals that were on board the crashed plane. He was amazed at how quickly the intelligence was being gathered. Photos were already being made from the security tapes at the private airport and the agents were waiting to receive them via e-mail.. He had been allowed to stay because the agent in charge had decided that he and his people needed to know the type of men that they would be up against in the morning.

Eppes hadn't been kidding when he had asked about turning his station into a temporary headquarters for his team. His little station had only seen this much activity on one other occasion and that was when the Santa Ana Fires had threatened the park several years ago.

He shifted his position against the wall and as his eyes drifted around the room they came to rest on the dark-haired lead agent. He didn't understand how the man was holding it together. If it were his brother up on that mountain top, he would probably be a basket case by now but Eppes had not only held it together, he had successfully kept his team dealing with the investigation as well. They were a close team, that much was obvious…no.. not just a team but friends. It was as if they had all been through hell together and back again, and in the process an unbreakable bond had been forged. Complete trust in each other and unquestionable loyalty to their leader.

His musings were interrupted when the pretty agent hung up her phone. He found her extremely attractive and if he were a little younger he might be tempted to ask her out. Despite her sexy appearance, he had a feeling that she wouldn't have any problem dealing with the criminals that they were chasing.

Megan sat by the printer as the photos from the security video were printing out. Agent Stendhouser had successfully isolated the passengers on the downed Bonneville jet and had just e-mailed them to her. She absently tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear just before the last one finished printing out.

"Got something guys." she announced as she walked over to a long table that had been brought in specifically for their use. It had been placed strategically, so that people around the table would have an optimal view of the wall map of the Santa Monica Mountain Range and the Point Mugu State Park. The agents filed over and took seats around the table while she spread a number of photographs out on the table top.

"According to the airport's manifest these five people boarded the jet." she said pushing three of the photographs to the side as she pointed to a fourth one that contained a picture of two men wearing aviation uniforms. "These two men are the pilot and co-pilot, they landed the jet at the airport, checked in and re-fueled for take-off. They passed all of the security screenings and all of their documents were in order. Fred Morris and Todd Humphrey supposedly worked for a wealthy businessman from Belgium." she moved on to the next photo. The picture was of an older man and a younger one supporting another young man between them. She pulled the cap from a blue marker and circled the young man in the middle but she pointed at the older man. "This is supposedly Anderson Fletcher and his two twin sons, Adam and Alexander." her finger hovered over the picture of the circled man and her voice softened. "Of course, we know this to be Charlie." she cleared her throat and continued. "Three more men boarded the plane at different intervals. This one is the man that fell from the cliff, still no I.D. on him yet, his passport said he was Samuel Gedwick, but I'll bet you a twenty that his fingerprints tell us something else. The last two are Jake Myers and Travis Oakley, so-called partners of Fletcher." Megan pulled off her glasses and faced Don. "Their documents were good, the forgeries are only showing up now because we are digging deeper; none of them existed a year ago." her eyes drifted to Charlie's picture. "Except one." she amended softly.

Silence hung in the air and then Colby twisted around in his seat. Ttilting his head up so he could make eye contact with his boss he asked. "Don, you said that Bashere told you that he had been around for weeks and that he had talked to you and discovered Charlie's weaknesses. Does Fletcher look like anyone that you've recently met?

Don rubbed at his temple. "No, he doesn't look familiar at all."

The junior agent picked up the picture and studied it closely. "Maybe Bashere was lying about being around you guys. We know he was stalking Charlie, he probably planted some listening devices and got his information that way."

"No, I don't think so." Don said, shaking his head slowly. "He was too proud of himself for deceiving us, he couldn't stop rubbing it in."

Megan nodded her head in agreement. "Don's right Colby. The man would have put a peacock to shame the way he was bragging about it. He even said that he deserved an "Oscar" for his performance." she paused and glanced at the picture in Colby's hand. "I believe that he was telling the truth."

"Then we're back at square one, because we still don't know what face Bashere is wearing." David snorted as he leaned back in his chair and dismally stared at the photos.

Cromwell had moved closer to the table to get a better view of the pictures. Puzzlement crossed his features as he stared at Bashere's photo. "What about this guy?" He turned to David. "What did you mean when you said you didn't know what face he was wearing?"

Don turned around and studied the ranger, answering before Sinclair had a chance to respond. "You should know what we'll be up against tomorrow." he pointed to one of the photos. "Henri Bashere had plastic surgery so we're guessing that this man is Bashere, but I've never met this man before, and Bashere told me that we had been together on more than one occasion." his forehead creased in thought as he stared at the photo. He raised his head suddenly and grabbed the picture, waving it around as he spoke. "Doesn't it seem odd to you that Bashere would go to all that trouble to hide his identify at the house only to walk straight into the cameras eye at the airport?"

Megan stared at him in surprise. "Your right Don, he wouldn't do that, he would hide his true identity until he had gotten away."

Don's phone rang and he quickly flipped it open. "Eppes, yeah, put a rush on it...right." he flipped it closed. "That was Jenson, they found the limo at the airport. They're taking it in now, maybe we'll get lucky and they'll find some prints."

Colby snorted. "If they do, it'll be the first bit of luck we've had today."

Megan's phone rang and the conversation ceased as she answered it. "Reeves...okay, wait a minute" tucking her phone between her ear and shoulder she quickly grabbed a pen and notebook and started to scribble furiously as she talked. "Got it, thanks." She snapped her phone closed and grabbed a red marker and the photo containing the picture of the professor. This time she circled the young man in the picture that was supporting Charlie.

"Don, we got a hit on this guy's fingerprints." she said glancing at her notes. "Adam Harken, a.k.a. Adam Fletcher, Charlie's twin. He's employed by a dating service based in Ventura when he's not sitting in a cell in LA. He's got a file and has been picked up by LAPD's vice squad on prostitution charges a number of times."

She raised her hand to forestall his next question. "Already done, Miller's on his way out to the madame's place as we speak. Let's see,..." she scanned her notes again.. " It's called "Lady Chatterley's Companions." her voice took on a sarcastic tone. as she continued.. "The ad reads, and I quote. "We cater to all tastes, let us find your "heart's delight." but she immediately regretted reading the last statement with Don's next words.

"Yeah…well we all know what Bashere's tastes are, don't we?" Don glowered darkly as he studied the picture. The young man was dressed in jeans and a tee shirt with the symbol of Pi on the front and as if that wasn't bad enough, he also had a head of brown curls. One look at the man's face and you knew it wasn't his brother, but from a distance it sure looked like Charlie.

Megan removed her glasses and met his eyes with regret. "I'm sorry Don, I didn't mean to sound insensitive to Charlie's situation."

"It's okay...I know...it's all part of the investigation anyway." he said a little gruffly and pulled his mind back from where it had drifted. "Maybe someone at Lady Chatterley's will be able to give us a description of the Frenchman. If Fletcher really is Bashere then he has somehow managed to disguise his face good enough to get through security." he sighed audibly. "The man has certainly gone to a lot of trouble to keep his real face hidden from us."

Don sat down on the edge of the table and ran his hands over his face tiredly. He glanced at his watch and he felt his gut twist, 8:45, almost sundown. In a few minutes night would fall and if his brother had survived the crash, could he make it through the night? Was he still alive?...injured?...still with Bashere or on his own? These questions kept rolling over and over in his mind and his heart ached in his chest from his fear for his brother's safety. Don swallowed hard and looked away in embarrassment when he noted the concern reflected in the eyes of his friends. He had stopped talking he realized and no one had wanted to break the silence. In the awkward moment he noticed the TV that was mounted on the wall in the corner of the office. It offered him a diversion and he nodded at it just as the words "Breaking News Story" flashed across the screen and a live video feed was shown coming from the overlook at the Projecting Point.

"How did they get there so fast?" Colby asked in disbelief.

"Turn it up Colby, let's see what they're saying." Don ordered.

"Yeah, sure thing." the younger agent said as he rose from the table and found the remote

The newscaster's voice boomed loudly around the small office. "This is Michael Whittemore reporting to you live from the southern California coastline of La Jolla beach. I'm standing below the Projecting Point at the La Jolla cliffs where earlier this evening a lear jet crashed on top of the Projecting Point. The crash happened around 7:00 p.m. this evening and officials have been unable to get any rescue personnel up to the site." The camera panned around the area and viewers could see multiple police cars and rescue vehicles as well as the coast guard in the water under the cliffs. The rescue personnel in the boats were training lights on the water in search of bodies. The camera returned to the newscaster.

"So far one body has been recovered from the water. This man fell from the plane shortly after the crash and it's unknown how many other survivors there are. We do know that the jet belonged to a businessman from Belgium and left from Red Hawk Private Air at Hermosa Beach. Our sources tell us that there were five male passengers on board plus the pilot and co-pilot. Their names have not been released pending the notification of the victim's families."

The picture shifted to the network news anchor. "Michael, have the authorities said why a rescue helicopter has not been sent to the crash site?"

The picture returned to the reporter on the scene. "We do have footage of a naval helicopter going to their aid, but as you can see, only moments later it leaves, apparently damaged. We have been assured by the Point Mugu Naval Base that the helicopter returned to the base without any apparent injuries to the crew."

David looked at Don in surprise. "What did they do, follow us from the airport?"

"Looks that way, huh?" Don responded disgustedly.

The newscaster continued. "According to the LAPD, the helicopter was fired upon by criminals on the plane. We know that the FBI and the LAPD were trying to prevent the aircraft from taking off and it would appear the some of the hostiles have survived. Nightfall and the threat of hostilities have prevented any further rescue attempts this evening. It is assumed that an early morning assault will take place."

"Let's hope the bad guys aren't listening in." Colby huffed sarcastically.

The voice of the network anchor could be heard asking.. "Michael, have the authorities told you why they were in pursuit of the plane?"

Shaking his head the news reporter responded. "No, only that it is an ongoing investigation and they are unable to talk about it." he hesitated momentarily as if considering whether he should say anything more and then continued. "I have received information from another source however, that this was an apparent kidnapping of a prominent Los Angeles figure. Earlier this evening an all points bulletin was issued to all law officials that an abduction had taken place at the home of Dr. Charles Eppes, the noted mathematician. I have not received an official reply from the FBI, but as you can see from this footage, his brother, Special Agent Don Eppes, was in the lead car pursuing the plane and was overcome by emotion when it crashed. It is my belief that Professor Eppes was indeed on board that plane."

"Oh my God!" Don's face paled. "Dad...if he sees this...?

"I can believe Whittemore aired that?" Megan hissed as she grabbed her phone. "Walker, get that reporter's video, make sure he doesn't show that footage again until we approve it?" she closed her phone and her voice softened as she met Don's eyes. "Walker's going to confiscate the video as soon as he's off the air."

The network apparently agreed with Megan because it quickly switched back to the news anchor, cutting off the video feed. "Michael, this is still unconfirmed information so let's focus on the crash until the FBI can confirm your story. Can you tel us what the FBI is doing now?"

Non-pulsed, the reporter continued with his broadcast. "We do know that the agents involved in the case have currently turned the ranger headquarters of Point Mugu National Park into a temporary headquarters and are waiting for morning to go up to the crash site. I have not been granted access to the park at this time to speak with the agents but I will keep you updated as more information comes in. Reporting live from La Jolla, this is Michael Whittemore for the Channel Six news."

The network returned to the studio where a female news anchor was seated behind a desk. "Thank you Michael. We will continue to monitor the situation at La Jolla and will update with any breaking news." She glanced down at the papers in her hand and quickly looked back at the camera. "The La Jolla cliffs are part of the 6000 acre Boney Mountain State Wilderness and grassland preserve and contains the most rugged coastline in the state. This coupled with the time of the accident is why they cannot attempt a rescue until daylight."

"Another source of concern is the wildlife in the area of the crash. If there are any survivors they may face yet another challenge tonightl. There are predators that are know to inhabit that area of the park; specifically mountain lions.. Our reporter Dana Sanchez has more information on this story."

The scene switched to a pretty blond woman standing beside an elderly man sporting a white goatee.

"Thank you Marla. Standing beside me is Dr. Atwood Desmond, an adjunct UCLA professor and wildlife expert with the Santa Monica National Recreation Area."

"Professor, what are the chances that one of the survivors could become a victim of a lion attack tonight?"

"That's a very difficult question to answer. "There are cats in the area. We've actually tagged three different males ranging in those mountains. The cats are very territorial and the one of concern here is called P-1. He's a 140-pound alpha male and has been mostly ranging in the hills of Zuma, Trancas, Decker Canyon and west to the Boney Mountain and Point Mugu area."

"Professor, what do the cats normally feed upon?"

"These are big mountains and full of deer and smaller game such as coyote, but they mostly feed on the deer. That said, however, any survivors that have suffered any amount of blood loss could possibly attract the puma. The cat has a very strong sense of smell and if he happens to be in that area tonight the smell of the blood could , in all probability, lead him to the site."

"Great." Don muttered dispiritedly as he walked toward a window, absently running his hand over his face. "That's just great!"

"Shut it off Colby." Megan said quietly.

The sound of the remote switching off seemed abnormally loud to the agents in that quiet moment. The atmosphere of the room had turned ominously silent and foreboding as all eyes followed Don across the room.

Don stood at the window and his shoulders slumped even further as he watched the mountain disappear into a shroud of darkness.


	26. Chapter 26

-1Obsession

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: You guys are just amazing!! Thank you so much for your reviews.

Spoilers: "Structural Corruption"

Chapter 26:

The big cat ripped another chunk of hide from the deer with his massive jaws and chewed the meat slowly. P-1 stood up on all fours as he swallowed the last bite and moved away from the carcass. His appetite now sated he sat down and began to clean the blood and flesh from his paws. Slowly and methodically he licked first one paw and then the other.

Out of the corner of his eye he watched the vultures move in to finish off the remains of the deer. The hungry birds had been anxiously waiting to finish off the remainder of his kill but had kept their distance until he moved away from it. All except one of them, that one had gotten too close to him while he was eating and now joined the carcass of the deer, a mistake that none of the bird's companions appeared eager to repeat.

The cat froze with one paw in mid-air as a strong breeze danced around him. His head swiveled into the wind, and he lifted his nose as he sniffed the air. There were intruders in his territory…. he could smell them.

His curiosity piqued, he rose up gracefully and started forward, padding softly and purposely along the dry, rocky terrain.

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At first the trail was easy for him to follow, but with the waning light the Professor's tracks were becoming harder to see. Reluctantly, Bashere made the decision to discontinue his search until the morning. The search would be more desperate tomorrow because he was sure that Don Eppes and the FBI would arrive at first light and then it would be a race to see who found the professor first. "_Don Eppes." _he thought darkly, "_the bane of all of his problems_. _He should have killed the man when he had the chance. Fool." _he called himself. "_The first time in his life that he let himself become emotional and look where it had landed him. Well, he wouldn't make that mistake again, no sir, the Professor would have to accept his terms now and if Don Eppes crossed his path again it would be for the last time."_

The important thing now though, was to find some type of shelter for the night and another glance at the sun told him he was running out of time. He continued to walk slowly along the trail, only this time he was paying closer attention to the terrain. There were many chaparral and low lying shrubs lining the trail but he dismissed any thought of camping out beneath them. He needed a place that was protected on a least three sides….he needed a place where he could only be approached from one direction….he needed…. _"that might work." _he mused when a large outcropping of rock caught his eye.

He left the trail and climbed to a group of rocks. One in particular had a twenty foot recess and a slight overhang. Tossing his duffel bag into the opening he quickly began a search for wood that he could use to build a fire. Fortunately for him there was an abundance of firewood all around the area and by the time that dusk had fallen he had collected a stack of wood that he was satisfied with and he piled the majority of the wood inside his little cave. Quite a few pieces were really large and would burn for a long time. He placed some of the wood in a straight line that stretched across the opening but leaving a few feet between the pile and his shelter so that the smoke wouldn't enter his area. Bashere pulled the small twigs that he had collected from the duffel bag and placed them between the stacks of wood and pulled out a handful of one hundred dollar bills that he had gathered at the crash site. He stuck them in between the twigs and finally pulled his lighter out of the duffel bag and just as darkness descended, Henri flicked on the lighter and the bills burst into flame. The dry twigs began to burn immediately and soon Bashere's sanctuary was protected by a wall of flame.

Henri grabbed a bottle of water and a bag of peanuts from the bag and stretched out to get more comfortable. His eyes drifted to the darkness behind the flames and his thoughts turned to the young man that he had become so enamored with. Perhaps Charlie would see the firelight as a welcoming beacon and come up to join him. Henri could keep him safe, the mountains could be a dangerous place at night, especially if you were hurt. He tossed a few more pieces of wood along the fire to make it burn brighter. "_Yes, Charlie would see it and join him." _

Bashere's eyes reflected the light as he eagerly continued to peer out beyond the flames and into the darkness.

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Charlie wearily bowed his head and with both hands he gently kneaded the back of his neck and the tops of his shoulders. At this point he wasn't sure what had caused his neck and shoulders to become so stiff and sore. It could have been any number of things. For instance; the plane crash or his slide down the ravine, the climb up the tree or even the struggle with the men at the house. Probably a little of all of them, he thought ruefully as he peered out between the leaves of the surrounding branches.

The darkness was not complete; millions of dancing lights flickered in and around the tree. There were swarms of lightening bugs out for their evening romp but their constant flickering had him seeing spots before his eyes and he had to blink several times to clear his vision. The sounds of the woods were both soothing and unnerving. The constant hum of the insects and the croaking of the frogs seemed to be in perfect harmony with one another. Their sounds blended together in a peaceful, melodious tune, punctuated by the dulcet tones of the night birds calling out to one another from their lofty perches among the tree tops. They were lulling him to sleep, his heavy lids began to close as he leaned his head back against the tree trunk and despite his best efforts to stay awake he began to fall asleep.

The serenity of the moment was suddenly shattered by a loud "hoot" and Charlie's eyes snapped opened in alarm. Another nerve-racking hoot resonated from somewhere overhead and he twisted around on the branch until he spied two large eyes glaring at him from a smaller branch a few feet above him. It was still too dark to see the outline of the owl, giving the eyes a disembodied appearance; as if they were floating in the air above him. It was rather disconcerting the way that the bird's eyes would tilt first one way and then the other while it studied him. Suddenly, without any warning, the owl abruptly rose into the air. Charlie jumped in surprise but felt a sense of relief that the large bird had decided to look elsewhere for his evening meal.

Charlie continued to stare upward, relieved that the large bird had decided to fly away but he jumped again a few seconds later when a sudden cry erupted from out of the darkness. His heart began to hammer in his chest as the terrified cry of a small animal continued to wail through the trees. Silence descended just as abruptly and he strained to hear any other noises . The gentle rustling of the leaves as the breeze glided through them was the only sound to be heard. He swallowed thickly as the bile rose in this throat; it appeared that the owl had found it's dinner.

The thickness in his throat had him fumbling for one of the water bottles that he had stuck in the pocket of the jacket. He drank sparingly of the warm liquid, wanting to make it last as long as possible. He only had two bottles left and he wasn't really sure what tomorrow was going to bring.

He moved around on the branch. It was still too dark to see anything but the breeze had brought with it an odor of smoke and he shifted his position so that he could face into the wind. The smell was faint so the fire was still a good distance away. From his lofty height, he could see a faint glow coming from a high point on the mountainside.

"_Bashere." _he thought grimly. The man was certainly persistent, no, obsessive would better describe the man and unfortunately the Frenchman was fixated on him. Charlie just couldn't figure the man out, at times he was exactly the arrogant person that he remembered from their first encounter, cold, calculating, and controlling. Yet, there had been a few times on the plane where he seemed to be someone else or he was trying to be someone else. At times the man had appeared to have real feelings toward him. That thought sent a shudder through his body but it certainly would explain some of Bashere's odd behavior.

Charlie settled back against the tree and crossed his arms, mulling over the events of the day. His heart ached when he thought of his family and what they must be going through right now. They had no way of knowing if he even survived the crash or what his condition was. If only he had a cell phone he could ease their minds and his too, he realized. He knew that the plane had collided with a vehicle on the runway and he had no doubt that it was Don's SUV. What if he or one of the team had been hurt? It was going to be a long night for him, with no way of knowing if Don was okay or injured.

He swallowed a lump in his throat as he thought of his brother. Bashere's sudden assault had driven all rational thought from his mind and he had reacted out of desperation, asking Don for his forgiveness if he took his own life in order to free himself from the Frenchman. Charlie didn't have to close his eyes to see the anguish that had been in his brother's dark eyes when he granted him that forgiveness or the tear on his cheek when he begged Charlie to wait and give him a chance to rescue him first.

He had come to all of the wrong conclusions and his solution to the problem was terribly flawed… he could see that now. He owed Don an apology and he desperately wished that he had a way of telling him that he was sorry for putting him in that position. He had been so wrong to even consider suicide as an option, he knew now that he could never take his own life.

Charlie remembered Finn Montgomery, a former student at CalSci, and how devastated the boy's parents had been when the young man had killed himself . He remembered the pain and anguish that they had suffered and that it would probably remain with them for the rest of their lives.

Sighing, he realized what a selfish act that would have been and the terrible effect it would have had on his family if he had followed through with it. He loved them far too much to put them through that kind of anguish.

Charlie leaned back against the tree and relaxed. "_No," _he thought grimly and clenched his teeth. "_If I die tomorrow it will not be from my hand ….but I will not go down without a fight… I will no_t _be taken prisoner again."_

In the distance he could hear a pack of coyotes howling to one another but they didn't frighten him, he was safe enough, hidden in the branches of the old oak. No, there was only one predator that he feared this night and it was not one that was normally found in this domain.

He glanced up at the night sky and quietly rejoiced at the appearance of the stars, the moon would soon follow and brighten the dark sky.

Charlie hooked his arm around the small branch and shifted his position again to make himself more comfortable . Lifting his eyes to the sky he lost himself in the multitude of patterns that the stars were forming as they began to dot the horizon.

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Don stood on the porch of the ranger station and watched the taillights of his SUV disappear into the darkness. He had finally convinced his team to go to the nearby diner and get something to eat. They were at a standstill anyway until Stendhauser got back to them with more info.

The agent checked his watch again and let out a sigh; 10:30 and he still hadn't talked to his father. Reluctantly, he pulled his phone from his pocket and flipped it open to checked his missed messages. Alan had called four times since the kidnapping, but Don had been too busy to answer them, three of them he noted were after the news broadcast. He clenched his jaw wishing that the reporter was within reach of his fist. Even if it meant another session with Bradford, he didn't care, it would be worth it to deliver a right hook to the man's chin..

He was stalling, he realized, partly because he knew how hard his news was going to be on his father and partly because telling him would force Don to admit to himself that Charlie's chances of surviving were extremely low. He stubbornly set his jaw and reinforced that little spot in his heart that kept him believing that his brother was still alive.

Don knew that even though it was late his Dad would still be waiting by the phone …….waiting for him to call and tell him about Charlie.

Taking a deep breath he pressed the speed dial button and hoped that he would be able to do this. He needed to prepare his father for what might happen in the morning; for the possibility ….no, that wasn't going to happen...he had to believe that there was still a chance.

The phone was answered before the first ring had a chance to finish.

"Donnie!" the anxious voice of Alan Eppes called out over the airwaves.

"Hey Dad." Don responded quietly.

"Did you find him…..is he okay…..where can I meet you?" Alan began a rapid fire of questions, breathlessly going from one to another before Don even had a chance to answer the first one.

"Listen…Dad…I…"

"Donnie, I need to know….was your brother on that plane that crashed? I saw it on the news and I was going to come down but I wanted to talk to you first…find out if it was true….only…only I saw your face…and…I wasn't sure where to find you."

"Dad!" Don finally had to raise his voice to interrupt the flow of questions. He knew his father was consumed with worry and he felt miserable because he didn't have any good news to tell him.

"Listen, please…this isn't easy for me to say." He paused to swallow, choking back the fear that was growing within his breast.

A gasp echoed over the phone and then…."No…oh, God, no….he's not ….!"

Don stopped this line of talk quickly. "Dad, calm down, we don't know anything yet." he had to cough to clear his voice. "Listen to me, there are only a few things that we do know for sure."

Total silence greeted him on the other end of the line.

"Dad, dad are you there?" Are you okay?" he asked anxiously, suddenly afraid that his father was having a heart-attack.

A shaky voice finally responded. "I'm all right son. Please go ahead and tell me what you do know."

Don absently rubbed his hand through his hair as he sat down on the steps of the ranger station.

"Dad, Charlie was on that plane. The security tape from the airport showed him being carried on board." he said. "_And it's my fault that the plane crashed…I may have killed my brother." _he thought to himself, not ready to share those terrible words with his Dad, not like this, not over the phone. "The plane didn't explode on impact, so there is a chance that he could have survived. We know that some of the men that took him are alive because they fired on the helicopter, but you know that from the news broadcast."

Alan's forlorn whisper only intensified his own anguish. "What happens now?"

"Tomorrow, at daybreak, I'll take a swat team and a medical unit up to the cliffs." he paused , his voice choking with emotion. "After that… well …we won't know that until we get up there." Don sighed and took a deep breath, this was so hard o say. "Dad, any survivors …or bodies…that we find will be taken to Malibu Memorial Hospital in Hermosa Beach. The hospital is on alert to expect casualties at daybreak. Look, I'll call you as soon as I…as soon as I find him, I ..I…promise." he stammered softly.

"Donnie, you be careful when you get up there." Alan's voice cracked but he continued. "I want both of my sons to come home."

"I'll be careful Dad." his voice choked up. "Good night."

"Good night son." Alan whispered back.

Don closed his phone and slid it back into his pocket. He remained seated on the steps and looked up at the night sky. The moon had finally risen and hung high above the silent mountain, it's light illuminating the darkness.

If Charlie had survived the plane crash then at least he wouldn't be in total darkness, maybe that moonlight would help him survive the night. If he was uninjured, if he could get away from Bashere, if he could avoid the local wildlife. So many if's, so many obstacles in his path and so long until morning. Don checked his watch again; it was only 11:00 p.m..

His heart cried out to his brother, he needed to be up there on that cliff top with Charlie, right now, not in the morning, and having to wait until then was tearing him up inside.

Don leaned forward and rested his head in his hands as the despair that he had so desperately been fighting washed over him.

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The acrid smell burned his nostrils as he lay hidden beneath the chaparral bush. P-1 stared at the man-creature through the burning flames. He had learned long ago to be wary of these creatures and a singed paw from an old encounter with them had taught him to stay away from the dancing lights.

Curiously, the cat stared at the eyes of the man. His eyes were all wrong and he smelled funny, different from the other men that he had seen. This one had no fear-smell to him, there was something wrong with this one….it was broken.

He studied it a little longer and then lifted his nose, sniffing at the wind. There was another smell on the air, one of more interest to him... blood. He rose to a crouch and with one last wary glance at the broken creature in front of him, he left to find the source of the smell.

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Alan turned off the phone and slowly set it down beside him on the old sofa. He sat unmoving, shoulders slumped with his hands lying limply in his lap; inwardly fighting to control the terror that was threatening to consume him.

He had been sitting in the garage when Don had called him. Somehow he felt closer to his youngest son out here. Maybe it was because Charlie spent so much of his time in front of the chalkboards that he kept here. Alan was surrounded by a multitude of equation covered chalk boards. His misty eyes drifted over the equations that Charlie had worked on and he could almost his son's curls bouncing up and down with his frenetic movements.

The present seemed to fade away and the past appeared in front of his red-rimmed eyes. _Alan smiled sadly and remembered a bright-eyed, curly-haired five year old asking for a chalk board and chalk for Christmas. His big brown eyes had been full of excitement as he explained how he used one in his kindergarten class and that he really, really, really needed one at home so that he could do his numbers. _

_Alan shook his head as he remembered how amazed he had been that his little boy wanted that chalk board more than any toy that he had tried to distract him with. A bag of toy soldiers had only distracted him long enough for him to count them, even though his older brother had thought they were cool. His little feet had padded frantically from package to package, searching for that one gift that his heart had so desperately desired. Tears were on his lashes when he had finally turned to look up at his father. Alan remembered picking him up and carrying him to a large package that was leaning against the wall behind the tree. Charlie had squealed with delight and squirmed out of Alan's arms at the sight of it. _

And that had just been the beginning, for not long after that, he needed another one. The equations became larger and more complex with each passing year and now his son surrounded himself with chalk boards and used his math in ways that Alan had never dreamed possible.

Unbidden, the present intruded on his memory and he gathered himself together and got to his feet. He shuffled through the back door and into the kitchen. His movements were automatic, his thoughts elsewhere, as he rinsed and refilled the coffee pot for the fourth time that evening.

The room was a disaster, still scattered with the preparations of the party and dirty dishes sitting on the counter The FBI forensics team had not allowed them to touch anything and the yellow tape was spread throughout the house. They were coming back in the morning so he had to leave everything as it was. The brew was almost finished before he realized that he had just been standing there. Sighing inwardly, he went in search of Amita and Larry, trying to decide how much he should tell them.

Alan pushed through the swinging door and paused with a hand on it. This room was worse than the kitchen. Broken dishes, and stale food littered the table. The cake with a piece cut out of the middle only made the hole in his heart ache even more. He forced his eyes away from it and with weary steps headed for the living room.

Amita had cried herself to sleep on the living room sofa with the pieces of Charlie's note and some rose petals clutched tightly in her hands. Somehow she had kept them hidden from the FBI team and he couldn't blame her. The blanket that Alan had covered her with had slipped off her shoulders and he gently bent down and pulled it back up again.

Larry also had fallen asleep, sitting up in the lounge chair near the couch, his cell phone in his hands waiting for Megan to call.

The TV was still on and as he watched a "Breaking News Banner " appeared on the screen along with a picture of Charlie. It appeared that the reporter had finally received confirmation from the FBI about Charlie's kidnapping. Alan numbly picked up the remote and switched off the television set.

Alan studied his friends momentarily before turning back toward the kitchen. He would let them sleep a little longer and then wake them up to let them know what Don had told him. He would leave it up to them to decide what they wanted to do because with or without them he was heading for Malibu Memorial at four a.m.

He silently retreated to the kitchen and poured himself another cup of coffee. He knew that he really should try and get some sleep…he was exhausted, but thoughts of what the sunrise might bring had him on edge. He picked up his coffee cup and quietly returned to the garage where he could still feel Charlie's presence around him.

Alan stopped in front of one of the chalk boards trying to picture that laughing five-year old once again and his fingers closed around a small piece of chalk. "_It was amazing," _he thought to himself, " _how such a small inanimate object could hold so much meaning for him," _but Charlie had used this piece of chalk and that made it precious to him. His shoulders sagged and chalk in hand he turned back toward the couch. He slowly sat back down on the old sofa and silently gazed at the equations on the chalk boards.

Alan's hand closed tightly around the piece of chalk as his belief that Charlie would come back to him began to crumble.

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Charlie woke with a start and his leg slipped from the branch that he was sitting on. He rubbed at his eyes and peered through the leaves at the ground beneath him trying to find out what had awakened him. Spotting nothing there, he nervously glanced upward to see if the owl had returned and let out a breath of relief when he noted the empty branch above his head.

The full moon provided ample light to see the open spaces around him except for the areas that were covered up in shadows. Shadows from other trees, rocks and hillsides….enough shadows for someone or something to hide from view.

He felt the hair rise on the back of his neck and goose bumps began to appear on his arms. Something was near by …..something that he sensed was dangerous. Ever so slowly he raised his leg back up to the branch and carefully stretched it out beside his other one. Barely daring to breathe he concentrated on the trail below him and watched for any signs of passage. The wind rustling the leaves was the only sound the night was giving up but he knew something was there.


	27. Chapter 27

Obsession

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: I truly appreciate all of your reviews. You guys are awesome!

Chapter 27

James Picarry stumbled once again and hit the ground hard. A groan escaped his lips as he painfully pulled himself up to a sitting position. He remained still, afraid to move until the pain subsided. Finally, he carefully stood up, cursing his partner the whole time for leaving him behind.

"_Damn Alexis anyway! _" he thought darkly. "_ What the hell had happened to him? _The man had been just a couple of feet in front of him and then suddenly he had vanished, along with his share of the money.

Breathing heavily, he pushed through the thick brush, trying to shove it to the side as he struggled forward in his search for the trail and his partner. Somehow he had lost his way, wandered away from the trail that he and Krill had been following. Now that the moon was finally up he could see where he was going, but it was too late, he was hopelessly lost.

Frustrated and angry, he raised his gun skyward and fired off three rounds. "KRILL!" he yelled, as he turned around in a circle. "HEY KRILL!" Picarry fired two more rounds but only silence answered him in return.

"DAMN YOU KRILL!" he yelled again but almost immediately began to cough and he doubled over, holding his side. "Must have broken at least two ribs in that crash." he muttered to himself. He staggered a little to the side and sat down slowly on a rock to help ease the pain.

He started to glance up at the moon but paused. Narrowing his eyes, he focused on a flickering light on the mountainside. "_Was that a fire?……yeah, it was a fire." _Chuckling to himself he stood up and started walking toward the light. His luck just taken a turn for the better.

"_Probably some hiker." _he thought and then a malicious grin spread across his face. "_Or maybe it's Krill." _

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P-1 had passed under the first oak tree when the gunfire erupted and immediately slipped under a chaparral bush. He crouched low to the ground, his ears turned outward, facing the direction of the loud popping sounds.

His raised his head and focused on the distant dancing lights. He knew the broken one was there, but he was also getting the scent of another man-creature. His nose rose higher and his head swiveled back toward the oaks, the blood scent was stronger now, but he really wasn't that hungry yet. His head turned back toward the mountainside, but he was curious.

P-1's curiosity got the better of him and he turned back toward the dancing lights, after all, he could always come back here.

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Charlie jumped at the sound of the gunfire. It was distant, but the fact that he could hear it at all was unsettling. He was wide awake now and he tilted his head to get another view of the faint glow up on the mountainside.

"That has to be Bashere or maybe those other two guys." he mumbled softly. "but that isn't what woke me up, there was something here. He glanced at his watch, midnight, the night seemed to be getting longer instead of shorter.

"_Maybe the gunfire scared it off_." he thought worriedly. "_Hopefully it won't come back."_

Charlie leaned back against the tree and crossed his arms, wincing when his arm fell against his side. He lifted his shirt and noted with relief that his cut had finally stopped bleeding.

The young man sighed and lowered his shirt then zipped up the jacket. The night had grown cooler, just enough to make it uncomfortable, and he glanced over at the distant flames. "Not that uncomfortable." he muttered.

Charlie settled back against the tree trunk and glanced skyward. Another five almost six hours until sunrise. There was no chance of sleep now, he was way to tense to even consider the possibility, so he focused on the sounds around him and resigned himself to the wait.

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Don stared across the empty parking lot and the two-lane road that wound it's way throughout the entire park. On the other side of the road was a small hill, dotted with trees, rocks and chaparral bushes that continued to rise for thousand of acres until it reached the highest peaks of the Santa Monica Mountains. Tonight that mountain was his enemy and it had defeated him. But only for tonight, daylight would allow him to seize control again and the mountain would not be able to keep him away. But that was a two-edged sword, he decided, because he desperately needed that morning light and yet…he also deeply feared what it's light would reveal.

Don stared gloomily at the mountain but his mind was taking him places that he did not want to go. Macabre visions swirled through his mind; Charlie lying dead at the crash site, Charlie running for his life through the mountains, chased by a hungry mountain lion, Charlie still in the clutches of that madman being forced to do his bidding and yet another vision of him jumping off of the cliff to escape Bashere. Don was so lost in thought that he didn't hear the door open or the ranger step out on the porch.

"Agent Epppes?"

Startled and a little embarrassed that he had been caught of guard, Don cleared his throat and answered without turning around. "Ranger Cromwell, I thought you had gone home."

"This is my home, I keep a cot in the back room."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to take over your house." the agent responded apologetically.

"Oh, that's okay. I do have another house, but I spend most of my time here since I lost my wife last year." the ranger responded softly.

"I'm sorry for your loss." This time Don did turn around, tilting his head upwards to look at the ranger.

"Thanks." The ranger responded a little uneasily, he still didn't talk about it very much. " Hey, ah, would you like a cup of coffee? I just brewed up another batch. Do you take sugar or cream?"

"Yeah, sure." Don answered. "Thanks, and black is just fine."

The ranger nodded but hesitated with his hand on the door. "Listen, would you mind keeping an eye on Riggs for me?"

Puzzled, Don squinted up at the ranger. "What's a Riggs?"

Smiling, the ranger pointed downward. Don lowered his gaze and locked eyes with a pair of liquid brown eyes.

"Does he bite?" the agent asked cautiously.

"Nah, here take this." he said, shoving the handle of a leash into Don's hand. "I'll be right back." he added as the door closed behind him.

Don gripped the leash and stared at the small dog. It reminded him of Lassie only a lot smaller. The dog didn't bark at him, just stood there silently watching him. The ranger returned a few minutes later and took a seat on the step next to Don as he handed him a cup of coffee.

Cromwell retrieved the leash and motioned for the dog to come to him. It eagerly padded forward until it was standing between Don and the ranger. The older man smiled and spoke to the dog.

"Riggs, say hello to the nice FBI agent."

The dog tilted it's head to the side as if it were trying to decide if it really wanted to do that or not. After a moment he slowly sat down on it's back legs and Don smiled with mild surprise as it raised it's front right paw toward him. He extended his hand slowly and shook the soft paw.

"Hi, Riggs." Don said and released it's paw.

The dog put his paw back down and sat looking up at Don as if it were waiting for him to do something.

The agent glanced sideways at the ranger. "What does he want?"

"Oh… he usually he gets a treat for shaking hands. Hang on a minute." Cromwell searched through his jacket pocket and pulled out a small dog biscuit. "Here, hold out your hand, palm up,"

Don stretched out his hand and the ranger placed the biscuit in the palm of his hand.

"Okay, now keep your hand flat and lower it to his level." he instructed.

Don lowered his hand and waited in anticipation for the dog to go for the treat, hoping that he wasn't going to get bitten in the process. Much to his surprise, Riggs very gently removed the biscuit from his hand and sat down between the two of them to eat it.

"Wow, I didn't feel a thing." Don said as he ran his hand over the dog's silky body. Riggs didn't seem to mind the attention and when he was finished with the biscuit he licked Don's fingers in return.

"What kind of dog is he?" he asked as he continued to pet the dog. Don couldn't explain it but for some reason the small dog seemed to be having a calming effect on him.

"Riggs is a Shetland Sheepdog and he has such good manners because my wife spent a lot of time training him. She taught him that little handshake trick… among other things." his voiced choked up and he paused to take a sip of his coffee. " He still misses her too, I catch him every now and then looking around for her but it's just the two of us now, so I try to spend more time with him." another sip and he added. " Smartest dog I've ever seen."

Don could see the man's discomfort , obviously the ranger still missed his wife a great deal so he tried to give him a little time to compose himself. "Riggs, that's a Scottish name, isn't it?"

"I suppose so but that's not how he got his name." the ranger smiled and scratched the dog behind the ears. "My wife was a fan of Mel Gibson and she loved the character that he played in those "lethal weapon" movies,… you know the ones I mean?"

"Yeah, I liked them too." Don nodded his head, a slight smile forming on his lips for the first time that evening. "So, she named him after Martin Riggs, huh?"

The ranger laughed out loud, "Yep and there were some days that she would tell me that she had made a mistake by naming him after such a wild man."

"Yeah, why is that?"

"Because on those days he lived up to his namesake." the ranger answered with a knowing look.

Don looked at the well-behaved dog that was gently licking his hand and he just couldn't picture him being any other way. "Come on, your pulling my leg."

Cromwell laughed heartily. "Trust me, in his youth he was a wild and crazy dog."

He reached over suddenly and rolled the dog over to rub his belly. Riggs seemed to take delight in the belly rub and wriggled around under the ranger's touch with his tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth. He rolled back over again and snuggled closer to the ranger, laying his head on the man's lap. Cromwell placed a protective arm around the little dog while he quietly sipped his coffee.

Don glanced at Cromwell, he knew what the man was trying to do. The ranger was trying to get Don's mind off of Charlie, off of the terrifying ordeal that he would have to face in the morning and it had helped, he realized. He was more focused now, the dark thoughts pushed back for a little while longer. Don liked this man, there was something about him, something that reminded him of his own father.

Riggs raised he head suddenly and rose to all four's. He froze in a standing position staring intently at the mountainside directly across from them.

"What does he….?" Don started to ask until he saw the ranger follow the dog's eyes and tense up.

"Agent Eppes, don't make any sudden moves!" Cromwell spoke urgently. "Turn your head slowly toward the mountain and try to find the point that Riggs is staring at and even if you don't see what he is looking at keep your eyes on that spot and don't look away!"

Slightly bewildered, Don asked. "What am I supposed to be looking at…..I can't see a thing." The agent tried squinting his eyes but he was still unable to locate the source of the dog's odd behavior.

"That's okay, just pretend that you do . I guarantee that the dog has made eye contact with it."

Frowning, Don started to turn his head toward the ranger but a resounding "No!" stopped him immediately.

"Do not break eye contact!" Cromwell hissed .

The urgency in the man's voice prompted him to remain in position and he continued to look for the object that was upsetting the ranger and the dog.

"Ah…..now I see it."

"See what?" Don muttered desperately.

"There is a lion less than 50 yards away and right now he's accessing the success of an attack. Do you see him yet?"

"No!" Don hissed back as he placed his hand on his gun holster.

"Follow the dog's head to the large sycamore and then look at the base of the tree and you'll see it."

Don swallowed nervously and followed the ranger's directions, sure enough as his eyes descended to the bottom of the tree he found two very large yellow eyes staring back at him. He exhaled a gasp and the ranger's voice kept him steady.

"Good, now once again, do not look away. If you break eye contact or turn your back on him he will attack and trust me on this, he is fast. He would get to us before we could reach the door."

"Uh, huh…..so what's next?" Don asked, as he glared back at the cat.

"The first thing that we are going to do is to stand up slowly. Right now, from his perspective we are the same size. Hopefully, once we stand up he will change his mind."

Cromwell extended his arm around the dog and easily scooped him up. He cradled him tightly in his arms and twisted around on the step putting himself in a better position to stand up.

"On the count of three we'll stand up together. One…two….three."

On three they both began to rise and were soon standing together on the bottom step of the porch; all the while maintaining eye contact with the ever watchful mountain lion.

Don was out of his element here and he was more than willing to follow the ranger's instructions. Give him the streets of LA and all of the criminals that he had to face there and he was perfectly capable of handling the situations without a blink of an eye. At least he could predict to a degree what their next step might be. This situation, however, had never been a scenario that he had ever considered.

"Now what?" he asked quietly.

"Now we see if it still wants us for dinner."

The ranger made the comment so casually that Don almost glanced over at him. _How can he remain so calm? I'm sweating bullets here and he's not even breathing hard."_

They watched in silence as the cat started to creep forward, staring at them intensely, eyes never wavering, slinking from bush to bush until it was near the edge of the road but still partially hidden behind a chaparral bush.

"This can't be good." Don muttered as he hurriedly unsnapped his gun holster and pulled his gun free. He quickly released the safety and held it up before him as he took aim.

Cromwell mumbled quietly. "Let's try to get inside and maybe you won't have to kill it?"

"Your worried about the cat?" Don asked in incrediously, his eyes still focused on the cat.

"Well, they are a protected species and it would be a shame if you had to shoot it but having said that I have no intention of becoming a snack. I hope your aim is good because you won't get a second shot."

Under different conditions, Don would have marveled at the beauty of the creature. It seemed to move in one fluidic motion and it's eyes were mesmerizing . As they watched it left the protection of the bush and glided slowly onto the road.

Out in the open and in the bright moon light Don could see it clearly.

The muscles in the lion's body seem to ripple as he crept forward. It's body and head were low to the ground and it's ears had turned forward. The long tail was twitching back and forth and his rear legs were pumping gently up and down.

They were near the door now but even Don knew the attack was imminent. He steadied his hand and took aim and just when he was about to pull the trigger a cloud drifted in front of the moon and the cat all but disappeared, he no longer had a clear shot.

"Damn!" He muttered, he would have to wait until he had more light, he couldn't afford to miss.

Don's hands were sweaty, but he kept a firm grip on his gun trying to keep his aim between the yellow eyes, silently praying for the moon to break free of the clouds.

"Get ready!" The ranger spoke tensely as he backed toward the door.

Just when it looked like the cat was ready to pounce, headlights illuminated the area, startling not only the lion, but Don and the ranger as well.

In an instant, the cat had vanished.

Don frantically looked around for it as his SUV and another car parked in front of the station. He turned slowly in a circle, his gun ready to fire, but it was as if the lion had never been there.

His team members jumped out of the car, guns drawn, and hurried over to his side.

"That was a mountain lion!" David exclaimed incredulously.

"Yeah, man, haven't you ever seen one before?" Colby commented dryly, as he scanned the area.

"I grew up in the Bronx, remember Colby?"

"Oh, yeah, I forgot."

"Was that it?…. that P-1 they were talking about on TV?" Megan asked breathlessly.

"No, that was a young lion. He's new to this area, he hasn't been tagged yet." Cromwell said. "You can put your guns away now, it's gone, it won't be back tonight."

"Yeah, well, I think I'll keep mine out until we get inside" Don muttered. "Come on."

It wasn't until they had stepped inside the station and put their guns away that Don got a good look at the driver of the other vehicle.

Surprised he turned toward the man and extended his hand. "Ian, I don't know how you found us, but I'm glad you're here."

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Picarry tightened the grip on his gun and made his way toward the welcoming firelight

It took him longer than he thought it was going to take but he finally made it to the rocks and the brightly burning fire. Panting he sank down to the ground just out of sight of the opening and tried to peer inside. The recess was far enough back from the flames that all he could see were shadows on the rock walls. As he watched, the shadows separated and he could see an arm holding a bottle of water, then disappear out of view as the occupant took a drink. He licked his dry lips, suddenly realizing how thirsty he was. Krill had been holding out on him the whole time, the dirty bastard had water all along and had kept it from him. Picarry smiled grimly, Alexis was going to pay dearly for that little deception, as well as leaving him behind.

He stood up and bent his arm behind his back to conceal the gun in his hand. The mercenary stayed just out of view. "Hey, Krill, is it okay if I come up?" he called out in a friendly tone. "That fire sure looks inviting mate, and I could really use a drink of water."

The voice that answered wasn't the one that he had been expecting and he tensed up with the first word.

"The fire was meant to be inviting…mate….but not for you." Bashere's cold voice resonated from the cave.

"S_hit, he survived!" _Picarry thought, as he desperately tried to come up with a story. "Ah…Mr. Bashere, it's …I mean, I'm glad that you survived the plane crash."

"Really?" Henri's voice took on a sarcastic tone. "Is that why you came to help me?"

Picarry swallowed hard. "Look, we were coming to check on you when the fed's sent a helicopter up , honest, but we had to fight and….. and…hide in the woods, and then we got lost. Can I come in now, I'm really getting cold."

"No, you may not. Ironic isn't it. You had enough time to take my money but not enough time to help me and now all of that money can't keep you warm. Pity you didn't think of the bigger picture Mr. Picarry." Bashere paused and took another sip of water, deliberately holding it so the mercenary could see it."

"Toss in the money bag and I will consider letting you join me."

"I….I don't have it. Krill took it and we got separated." he stammered out as his eyes followed the movement of the water bottle.

"Pity, then you don't have anything to offer me, do you?" Henri responded coldly.

Anger was clouding his thoughts and he latched on to the one thing that he knew Bashere cared about. "Where's your precious professor? Did he run away from you? Is that who you were hoping to "invite" to your fire tonight?"

Basher's voice was low and menacing. "Be very careful Mr. Picarry, your next answer could cost you your life. Have you seen him, and if so, where?"

"You heard the shots, maybe I killed him or maybe I know where he is. Let me in and I'll tell you what I….." Picarry stopped in mid-sentence, glancing at the bushes behind him. Nervously, he peered into the shadows around him , he was sure that he had heard something. Quickly, he turned back toward the cave and stepped forward until he was standing in the light of the fire.

His eyes were wide with fear and when he spoke his voice was filled with terror. "I think there's something out here, please Mr. Bashere let me come in and I'll tell you what I know."

"You'll tell me now or whatever is out there can have you. Did you kill him?" Bashere hissed.

Picarry was trembling now and he wasn't sure if it was from what was in the bushes or from the man inside the cave. Nervously, he turned and sprayed a round of bullets into the darkness. In his agitated state it took him a few minutes to realize that he had run out of ammo. Desperately he searched through his pockets for another cartridge but they turned up empty.

Panic-stricken, he threw his gun down and ran toward the fire. A bullet hit the ground in front of his feet and he stopped so fast that he stumbled and fell to his knees. Shaking visibly now, he lifted his eyes to meet Bashere's and begged for mercy.

"Please, let me come in. I…..I didn't kill him….I didn't even see him, I swear."

"Wrong answer Mr. Picarry, the right one would have been that you knew he was alive and where I could find him. I have no use for you."

The frightened mercenary held ups his hands, pleading. "Wait, I can help you find him…you'll have a better chance if the two of us look for him. Please!" he turned his head briefly to check the area behind him and his eyes widened in terror. He struggled to his feet and turned to face Bashere. "Please….there's something behind the bushes!" he panted "Please let me come in!"

"I have reconsidered Mr. Picarry, I believe there is something that you can help me with." Bashere coldly answered as he raised his gun and pulled the trigger.

Picarry's relieved smile faded quickly and in shock he looked down at his stomach. He stumbled to his knees, holding his hands over the bleeding hole that had opened up just above his navel. The color was already draining from his face as he brought his eyes up searching for the Frenchman.

"Why….why…shoot…me." he stammered, as he desperately tried to stem the flow of his blood.

Gun in hand, the Frenchman stepped over the flames and stood over the wounded man.

"Why?" He shrugged his shoulders indifferently. "As I told you, I have thought of something that you can do for me."

The Frenchman squatted down until he was eye level with the man. "You see the professor did get away from me and he's somewhere out there in the dark." he motioned to the space below them. "But here's the thing, he's injured and bleeding, and if there is indeed a predator out there, it will smell his blood and go after him." he paused to gauge the man's reaction. "You have a chance to do something noble tonight Mr. Picarry, even though it isn't voluntary. Your sacrifice will hopefully save my young man's life." Bashere relished the sheer terror in the man's eyes. "After it feeds upon you, it will have no need to go after my precious professor….will it?'

Picarry closed his eyes, whimpering. "No…please…no…don't…." he collapsed suddenly and lay on the ground looking up at the Frenchman. He was having trouble breathing and his face had taken on a white pallor as his body began to go into shock and not just from the loss of blood; Bashere's words had sealed his fate.

Bashere came to his feet and looked down coldly at the man. "Good by Mr. Picarry." He bent over and grabbed the man by the ankles and slowly drug him to the edge of the slope, ignoring his weak cries for mercy.

"I'll…..see…..you…n' hell." The mercenary whispered.

"Perhaps." Bashere responded with amusement and without another word he kicked the dying man over the edge of the slope and listened to his screams as he slid down the mountainside.

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P-1 had watched silently from under a bush as "the broken one" kicked the other man over the side of the mountain. He quietly followed the man down and waited for him to come to a stop against some rocks. He crouched under some chaparral and warily watched the top of the slope. This was too easy, it must be a trap. He waited only a few feet from the bleeding man and finally the blood lust took control of him.

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The Frenchman turned and went back into his cave, making himself comfortable once again. He tossed more wood onto his fire just as the screams began. Unmoved by the man's screams, he listened intently for ten minutes before the last strangled cry was torn from Picarry's lips.

"_Who would have thought that the man still had enough air in his lungs to scream for that long." _he chuckled to himself.

Silence reigned once again on the mountainside . Bashere sighed and lay down on his side so he could face the opening, gun at the ready.

"_Perhaps now the beast would be satisfied and leave Charlie alone." _he thought. "_Charlie." _the name brought a smile to his lips. Tomorrow he would find him, of that he had no doubt.

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Charlie twisted around on the branch again at the sound of the gunshot. He couldn't see anything but the faint firelight but the shot had echoed loudly through the mountains. He sat up suddenly and strained to hear what he thought were screams, but they were too far away for him to be sure.

"It could have been the wind." he told himself. Another forty-five minutes passed before he started to relax and he refocused on the stars above him. His thoughts turned to Amita and he felt like his heart was going to break. Charlie couldn't get that last vision of her out of his mind. Her arms and legs were taped to the chair and tears were sliding down her cheeks, whispering his name over and over.

"Hang on Amita, I'm coming back to you." he whispered to the moon. "I promise…just…please don't give up on me."

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P-1 finished cleaning himself and stretched out lazily. The fear smell had been really strong on that one, not like "the broken one" on the mountainside. He had never tasted man flesh before but it wasn't that much different than a deer. He yawned widely, it had been a most eventful night and as he stood up to return to his cave, the blood scent that he had originally followed wafted to him on a breeze and his gaze fell upon the grove of old oaks.

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Charlie was still staring at the moon when he felt the hair rise on the back of his neck again and an uneasy feeling settled between his shoulder blades.

"_It 's back, the thing that was here earlier, it's come back_." he thought frantically.

Alarmed, his eyes drifted over the ground below him...nothing; frowning, he checked out the other side….still nothing. He couldn't look at the trail behind him without physically turning around and possibly giving his position away and that wasn't a risk he was willing to take. The tree trunk was large enough to hide him completely so he really didn't have to worry about being seen from the rear.

So he just sat there, unmoving, listening to every rustle of the leaves as the minutes passed slowly by. The silence was beginning to unnerve him and it suddenly occurred to him how silent it really was.

"_Where are the night birds and the insects?" _he thought and his heart began to beat faster. He desperately peered into the shadows where the bright moonlight couldn't reach. Charlie almost stopped breathing when he realized what that silence truly meant.

"_An animal , some type of predator, nothing else could silence a forest like this. Oh, man, please don't let it be one that climbs trees!"_

Charlie could smell it now, a heavy musky odor that surrounded him. It seemed to soak into him and it was so thick that he almost gagged from it's stench but he managed to control the reflex.

His expressive brown eyes widened in terror as he watched it move from the shadows to stand directly beneath him.

"_Oh, God!" _he whispered.


	28. Chapter 28

Obsession:

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: Your reviews have given me encouragement and I'd like to say a special thank you to all who have taken the time to review. I truly appreciate them.

Chapter 28:

Charlie watched with trepidation as the mountain lion continued to stand beneath the tree. He was overwhelmed by the sheer size of the creature. His eyes followed it from it's nose to the tip of it's tail and back again. It was huge, more than seven feet long, and had to weigh close to 140 lbs….or more!

He rubbed his forehead nervously while he tried to remember the instructions he had received from a Park Ranger the last time he and Larry had gone hiking together at the Topanga State Park. Apparently a hiker on the previous day had reported seeing a lion along one of the trails so the ranger's at the park had started giving every hiker instructions on what they should do if they encountered a lion.

"_Think, Charlie, think!" _he ordered himself. "_Get a grip! If you panic now you'll become the main course!"_

The lion was facing in the direction of the crash site and slowly brought it's head up sniffing at the air.

"_Oh, God, it can smell me!" _Charlie frantically thought. "_The blood, it can smell my blood!" _he took a deep, steadying breath. "_Calm down, remember it's down there and your up here…. but cats climb trees, don't they?!"_

Charlie studied the cat closely, carefully observing every detail. He noted the way the lion's ears were constantly changing position and the way the long tail was slowly swishing from side to side. It meant something important, if only he could remember what it was.

He forced his mind to focus on the ranger's words, while trying to remain calm as the cat's nose rose a little higher, still sniffing at the air.

"_Think…think…..the ranger said is was important to understand the lion's behavior because that would tell you what it's intentions were. Right,…now I remember. It's behavior right now doesn't appear threatening…so, maybe ..maybe…it's just curious?" _he wiped the sweat from his brow, never taking his eyes off of the cat. _" Let's see, what else did he say.' _Charlie ran his hand over his mouth as he studied the cat_. "Something about height…or…oh, I know. The cat likes to have the higher position…so that's definitely in my favor." _The ranger's words were coming back to him. "_ I shouldn't make any sudden movements or noise. Maybe it will just go away, please, please go away!" _

All thoughts of the ranger's words disappeared as the lion began to move around again and he tensed up as it approached the tree.

The cat slowly started to circle the tree, this time with it's nose to the ground. Charlie inhaled and held his breath expecting to see it leap up into the branches with him at any moment but instead the lion circled around behind him.

He needed a weapon! Alarmed, he searched around the branches for something that he could use against the lion. His hand closed around a small branch and he broke it, wincing when it snapped off with a loud crack. The stick was about four feet in length and sturdy. Charlie didn't feel quite as helpless now, at least he had something solid that he could hold on too. He gripped the broken branch tightly in his hands, determined to fight as long as he could.

Sweat was beading on his upper lip by the time the cat re-appeared again, stopping once more beneath him. The lion turned around until it was facing the tree and abruptly sat down on it's rear haunches …..and then, to his horror, the puma slowly raised it's massive head and looked up into the tree.

Charlie gasped and forgot to breathe as he and the lion locked eyes.

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"Ranger Cromwell, meet Special Agent Ian Edgerton, the bureau's best tracker and the FBI's number four sniper."

Edgerton corrected him. "Ah, that would be number three now. That shot I took when I was working with you on that plane crash case moved me up another notch."

"Yeah…well congrats on that." Don said as he rubbed the back of his neck. "That was one hell of a shot."

"Thanks." Edgerton replied.

Don wearily pulled out one of the chairs at the long table and settled himself into it. Cromwell and Edgerton nodded in greeting as everyone followed the lead agent's example and sat down.

He glanced at his watch and sighed, only 12:52. " _Could this night possibly get any longer?" _Then another thought occurred to him and he shuddered. "How long do you think that lion was watching us?" he asked, turning to face the ranger.

Cromwell shrugged. "Not very long because Riggs didn't notice him when we first came out on the porch."

Don's eyes drifted down to the little dog at the ranger's feet and his forehead creased in puzzlement. "How come he didn't bark, I thought all dogs barked when they saw cats, and he didn't even try to go after it, he just froze."

Edgerton's eyebrows rose. "I've never seen a dog that didn't chase everything that moved. What's wrong with him?'

The ranger laughed. "There's nothing wrong with him, it's just like I told Agent Eppes,…"

"Call me Don." the agent said quietly.

Cromwell nodded. "Only if you call me Jeff." The agent gave him a slight nod and he continued on with his story.

"It's like I told Don, he's the smartest dog that I've ever seen." he glanced down and patted the little dog on the head. "I've seen Riggs stand toe to toe with dogs three times his size and not back down so his courage is not in question here. Not that I consider that especially smart on his part but he is smart enough to know where his place is on the food chain with those kind of "cats." The little dog looked up at them and barked at that moment, as if agreeing with the ranger.

"My wife and I were both confused by his behavior at first, we'd take him out to do his business at night and every once in a while he would just freeze up." he glanced knowingly at Don. "Just like tonight, or as soon as the door closed he would turn right around and want to go back inside. We were truly at a loss until we finally spotted the lion, and let me tell you, once we knew the reason, we were just as eager to get back inside ourselves."

Don reached down and patted the dog's head. "Well, he sure saved us tonight. I never would have seen the lion until it was too late."

"That's amazing." Ian said, obviously impressed with the little dog. "I've seen full grown German Shepherd's go after a mountain lion without any hesitation at all." he shifted in his chair, stretching his long legs out in front of him. "Of course, when we finally caught up to them we usually had to bury them…..what was left of them, that is."

"Like I said, he's the smartest dog that I've every seen."

Don glanced reflexively at his watch again and sighed inwardly; one-forty. He was beginning to think that this night was never going to end. He looked up and realized that everyone had stopped talking and were all watching him. Clearing his throat, he asked.

"So, where did you run into Ian?"

Megan replied as she stifled a yawn. "There is an all night diner near the entrance to the park and we practically ran into each other on our way in."

Colby held up a paper bag. "Yeah, we brought you guys some sandwiches. We weren't sure what you liked so we just took a guess. You can take your pick." He placed the sandwiches on the table in front of them.

"Oh, and we brought along a couple of drink's too." David said, placing them on the table.

"Thanks." Don said as he pushed the sandwiches toward the ranger. "You can choose first, I'm not really that hungry." He knew he should eat something but he wasn't really sure that he could keep anything down. His stomach had been turning flip flops long before the mountain lion had shown up.

Jeff nodded quietly in understanding and opened a tuna sandwich leaving a chicken sandwich for Don. Don opened it and forced himself to take a small bite before putting it back down on the table. "So, Ian, what's your story?" he asked as he took a sip of his drink.

Ian leaned back further in his chair and crossed his arms. "I just finished an assignment and while I was in the area I thought I would drop by and see what you guys were up too. Wright filled me in and it sounded like you might need a tracker so I volunteered. " He tilted his head slightly as he met Don's eyes. " You've helped me on a couple of cases, thought I might return the favor. Besides, the Professor is a friend of mine."

Don nodded his head thoughtfully. "Well, as I said before, I'm glad you're here."

Megan's phone rang and she quickly flipped it open. "Reeves. Good, it's about time. What took them so long? Uh huh, okay send them right over. Thanks." she jumped up from her chair and hurried over to the computer. "That was Stendhauser, they finally got the aerial photos from the Navy. She's sending them over now."

"We should have had those hours ago, what was the hold-up?' Don asked impatiently.

Megan answered without looking up from the printer. "Something about separating the pictures of the crash from other classified photographs." She looked up and glanced over the tops of her glasses. "You know how they are?"

Colby snorted. "Yeah, we all know that drill."

Megan returned to the table and slowly spread out six photographs of the crash site. The room became quiet as the agents studied them closely, each one afraid that the body of a brother….or a friend would be seen lying amid the debris.

Don's hand shook slightly as he picked up one of the photographs.

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Charlie exhaled slowly as he continued his stare-a-thon with the mountain lion. The lion hadn't moved, it just sat there gazing up at him. It's ears would twitch occasionally but that was all, the large eyes never blinked.

Charlie never broke eye contact. He had remembered the ranger saying that if you broke eye contact, the puma would attack, so he was desperately maintaining that eye contact. The cat hadn't made any aggressive moves, so Charlie was hoping that the animal was just curious and not hungry.

The young man risked a swallow and realized how dry his throat was. He had a bottle of water in his jacket pocket but was afraid any movement might insight the lion to climb up the tree after him. He laid the stick across his lap but he kept a solid grip on it with both hands.

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Don closed his phone. "Forensics recovered fingerprints from the limo." he glanced over at Megan. "Stendhauser is sending photos over in a few minutes. Along with the prints and facial imaging they were able to identify all of them except Bashere." He moved over to the desk and waited for the pictures and the additional paperwork on the men to print out. It was two-fifty he noted after another glance at his watch and it took another five minutes before the printer was finished.

Finally, Don brought the documents back to the table and placed two photos next to the one containing the pictures of the pilots. He pointed to the pilot. "This is Martin Thompson, a.k.a. Fred Morris and Todd Humphrey, a.k.a. Ben Henderson. They have warrants out in several countries, drug-trafficking and transporting arms in Afghanistan."

He pushed another picture across the table and matched it up. "This is Tad Benton, a.k.a. Samuel Gedwick, currently residing in the morgue." he glanced sideways at Edgerton. "He fell from the tail-section of the plane. It says here that he hired out as a bodyguard, no major warrants against him."

Don rubbed the back of his neck as he studied the last two photos. "These two are hard-core, both are mercenary's out of South Africa. Interpol has been looking for them for quite some time. James Picarry , a.k.a. Jake Myers and Alexis Krill, a.k.a. Travis Oakley." He paused momentarily while he flipped over a page of the report.

"There were only two more sets of prints. One of them was Adam Harkins and the other set belonged to Charlie." his voice faltered and he cleared his throat before going on. "They found traces of a micro-mask, that explains how they got through security and why we still don't have a clear picture of Bashere."

"No prints on Bashere?" Colby asked.

Don shook his head ruefully. "None, probably wore gloves the whole time." he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "You know, now that I've had time to think about it, there were two men who had dinner with us this week. Detective O'Connell and a crazy Scotsman that's renting the house across from Charlie."

"O"Connell always wore gloves, said it was because of bomb injuries." David said quietly.

"Yeah, and he left in a hurry too." Colby added as he pulled out his cell phone. "I wonder if he really did leave."

"Patrick was the same height and build as Bashere." Megan's eyes settled on Don. "What about the Scotsman, is he the same height and build as Bashere?"

Don scrubbed his hands through his hair and walked slowly around the table. "Yeah, only he hunches his shoulders a lot and he's really kind of clumsy." Shaking his head doubtfully he turned back to face them. "I don't know, this guys the exact opposite of Bashere, I mean, this man would have to be a really great actor to pull….." he met Megan's eyes and his eyebrows rose as she seemed to read his mind.

"it off." She finished his sentence for him. "An Oscar worthy performance., isn't that what Bashere called it?" Megan asked. "Is is possible that he could have been living next door to Charlie the whole time?"

Don whipped out his phone. "Fisher. Eppes here. Send two agents to check out a man going by the name of Angus Fitzgerald, said he was from Scotland." his brow furrowed in thought. "Town was Inverness, I think, see what you can come up with. He's currently renting a house directly across from my brother's. It's possible he's Bashere so proceed with caution. Oh, yeah, get a picture of him and fax it over asap."

Don walked over to the table and picked up the photograph of Charlie and Bashere, studying the older man's face closely.

"Fitzgerald could be Bashere." he mumbled more to himself than anyone else.

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A cloud covered the moon and Charlie was suddenly plunged into darkness. It wasn't completely dark though, the menacing yellow eyes staring back at him seemed to glow with their own inner light. All at once a deafening roar cut through the darkness and the glowing eyes vanished..

Frantically, Charlie scrambled to his feet, planting his back firmly against the tree trunk. His heart hammered in his chest and his breath was coming in short gasps as he gripped the stick tightly in his hands. Swallowing nervously, he desperately peered through the darkness to find the lion but without the moonlight, it was impossible to locate it. He tried and failed to silence the pounding in his ears as he anxiously listened for sounds of the animal climbing up the tree.

The silence was un-nerving because he could sense that the lion was still close by. The cloud drifted away from the moon and it's light once again illuminated the surrounding area and Charlie sighed in relief….but it was short-lived.

He could see it now, the lion was halfway up the trail and facing toward the crash site. A low, menacing growl emanated from the beast and as Charlie watched, it lowered it's head and it's tail began to swish furiously back and forth.

Almost immediately he heard an answering growl coming from the shadowed trail ahead of the puma.

Charlie's eyes widened in disbelief. "_Two….there are two lions!"_

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At three-thirty a knock sounded on the door of the ranger's station and all heads turned as Jeff went to answer it.

"Maddie." the ranger greeted the plump woman in her mid-fifties. "Thanks for bringing this food over." He nodded a greeting as two men entered carrying a table.

"My pleasure Jeff." she answered . "Can't let all of this go to waste now, can I?" She waved her arm toward the table where the two men were currently covering it with various kinds of pastries, muffins and setting up a large coffee pot. " I have all of this food left over since the park was evacuated." Her eyes drifted over to the FBI agents that were gathered around the wall map.

"We didn't have a choice Maddie, the people on that plane are dangerous. We can't risk them hurting anyone else."

"Oh, I understand." she replied. "Better safe than sorry, that's what I always say." she lowered her voice and glanced over at the agents. "That's the brother isn't it, the dark haired one in the middle. I recognized him right away." she clasped her hands in front of her. "Oh, that poor man, what he must be going through." Her voice was full of concern and a look of pity crossed her face.

Jeff's brow furrowed. "Maddie, how do you know him and how did you find out what was going on?"

"Why, it's all over the news, Jeff. The whole story, how the young professor was kidnapped from his home and how his brother was trying to rescue him when the plane crashed." She shook her head sadly.

"I didn't think they were going to air that until the story was confirmed."

"It was confirmed, the reporter interviewed an FBI agent and he said it was true and then the news station had a special broadcast, all about the young professor, you know, a biography of his life." She brought her hands up to her face, distraught. "It's such a shame, he seemed like such a nice young man too. Did you know that he was a child prodigy, a true genius.? He was really close to his family too, his father even lived with him and he worked with his brother."

Jeff frowned, displeased but not surprised at the media's lack of discretion. "You make it sound like he's already dead."

He glanced over at Don and wondered how he was going to take this latest news. The ranger found himself feeling protective of the younger man, he didn't know him that well, but Cromwell felt in his heart that the agent was a good person. "_His father must be very proud of him, I know I would be."_ his eyes drifted back to Maddie.

"Not me, it was that reporter." she said emphatically. "He said there wasn't much of a chance that the professor would be found alive."

The tantalizing aroma of the coffee had lured the agents over to the table and as Don walked by she grabbed his free hand to offer her sympathy.

"You poor man, I'm praying that you will find your brother alive and well tomorrow morning."

Don's startled eyes quickly turned to anger as he turned to face the ranger, but before he could say anything Jeff spoke up.

"It wasn't me. Apparently, that reporter got confirmation from an FBI agent, and it's all over the news." he quickly changed the subject. " Don, this is Maddie Lewis, she runs the park lodge."

Caught off guard, Don simply thanked her for her concern and gently removed his hand and waved at the breakfast buffet. "Ah, thank you for bringing the food and the coffee.'

"Your more than welcome honey." she patted his forearm sympathetically before he managed to escape and re-join the other agents.

"Maddie could you do me another favor." Jeff asked, drawing her attention back to him. "Could you take Riggs back to the lodge with you tonight. In another hour or so, this place is going to be packed with a lot of agents and police and I want to make sure that he's safely out of the way. It could be a while though because I don't know how long I'll be up on the point in the morning. It could take most of the day."

She smiled brightly at him. "Now Jeff, you know how much I love that little dog. I'd be happy to watch him for you." she glanced around the room. "Where is he?"

He patted her shoulder. "Thanks, stay here and I'll get him for you."

Jeff found him on the other side of the conference table with Don. The agent was kneeling down next to the dog and scratching him under the chin. As he came closer he could hear what Don was saying and it tugged at his heartstrings.

"Charlie would like you." Don said softly. "I hope he gets a chance to meet you."

"We'll plan on it then. After we rescue your brother, just give me a call and we'll arrange it."

Don met his eyes and looked away, embarrassed that he had been overheard. He stood up quickly as the ranger attached the leash to the harness that the little dog was wearing.

"I….ah….wouldn't want to impose."

"It's no imposition Don. I'd like very much to meet your brother." he glanced over at Maddie and added. "Don't mind Maddie, she means well, she's really a very caring lady. As a matter of fact, she's going to take Riggs home with her and watch him for me until this is over."

Don bent down and patted the dog on the head. "See ya Riggs." The little dog licked his hand and trotted after the ranger.

The agent turned back to the wall map of the park, his eyes settling on the Projecting Point. He glanced at his watch, three forty-five, just a few more hours and this night of terror would be over, one way or another.

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Charlie could see the other lion now slowly creeping down the trail, head down and snarling just like the other one. This one was smaller but it didn't look like it was going to back down.

All at once, both lions roared and rushed forward. They fought viciously, biting and slashing at each other . The noise was deafening and Charlie instinctively covered his ears as he watched the savage fight unfold before him.

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Bashere leaned up on one elbow and listened warily to the distant lion fight. " _Perhaps a mile away."_ he mused. "_Fighting over something."_

He frowned worriedly, not for himself, he was safe enough, but for Charlie. The Frenchman glanced at his watch, three thirty, two and a half hours until daybreak. Bashere sighed and threw some more pieces of wood onto his fire.

"_Well, I hope it's a territorial fight_." he thought as he lay back down. "_because I'm really going to be pissed if they killed my young man."_

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The lions broke apart, both bleeding from wounds but continued to circle one another, continuously growling and snarling. They suddenly lunged at each other again and the large one managed to inflict a deep bite into the younger one's side. The smaller lion screamed in pain and managed to break away. It darted around the other lion and ran past it , racing down the trail behind Charlie's tree. The larger male roared and swiftly followed him disappearing into the shadows of the mountain.

Charlie's heart was racing as he strained to hear the lions. Minutes seemed like hours as he waited for the cats to return. In the distance he could still hear the roars of the lions but they appeared to be getting further away. Finally, silence descended once again in the oak grove and Charlie 's heart began to beat at a more normal pace. He opened a bottle of water and took a long drink and after wiping his mouth with the back of a trembling hand he carefully returned the bottle to his jacket pocket.

"_If I live through this night, Dad and Don will never believe it." _he thought as he finally started to relax and settled back more comfortably against the tree

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Don stood at the window and stared at the caravan of headlights as they approached the ranger's station. He glanced at his watch, four o'clock, only two more hours , no, less than that, because he planned to be up on that cliff as soon as it turned daylight. He had scheduled a briefing for four thirty and the tactical teams were beginning to arrive. There was an open field next to the station that was large enough for the helicopters to land, two FBI assault helicopters and one medical chopper.

Don's eyes drifted back to the mountain. "_Hold on Charlie, it won't be long now."_

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Alan checked his watch, four a.m., it was time to go. He had showered and changed his clothing in an attempt to calm his nerves, but it did little to ease his mind. Still, he felt a little better, physically anyway.

He glanced at Amita and Larry, both awake and sitting silently on the sofa, coffee cups clutched tightly in their hands. Alan had known before he even asked them, that they would be going with him to Malibu Memorial and he was grateful for their company.

"I'm ready." he spoke quietly.

Amita and Larry stood without speaking and quietly shuffled behind him as he left the house. As he walked to his car, Alan absently noted the police cars at the end of the road, blocking the news vans from entering their street. The black sedans across the street from the house didn't even register as he climbed behind the wheel and started the car. Larry took the passenger side and Amita opted for the backseat , lying down across it almost immediately.

He heard a knock on the window as he started up the car and looked up to see a young police officer standing there. Alan pushed the button and the window opened.

"Yes, Officer?" he asked numbly.

"Are you alright Mr. Eppes? Where are you going?"

Alan looked through bleary eyes at the young man and wasn't really sure how to answer him. _Was he alright…hardly. Was he okay to drive…certainly." _I'm fine officer, thank you for asking. I'm going to Malibu Memorial to wait for my sons."

"Would you mind an escort sir? We can keep the news media away from you." the young officer asked, the concern evident in his tone of voice.

Alan looked up, both surprised and touched. "Thank you, I would appreciate that very much."

The young officer smiled briefly. "Follow me sir."

Alan pulled up behind the police car and soon they were following it down the highway, speeding past the news vans and heading toward Malibu.

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Charlie let his head fall back against the tree and closed his eyes in relief. A song began to swirl through his mind, the refrain playing over and over again. "_Knock, knock, knocking on heaven's door." _

The young mathematician opened his eyes and gazed up at the stars and couldn't help but wonder if he had used up all of his luck tonight. By some miracle he had survived the plane crash ,escaped from a madman and had narrowly avoided becoming a midnight snack for two.

He could almost hear his brother's voice teasing him. "_You better hope that you don't run into anything else tonight Chuck, because you've used up all of your luck. Just sit tight and wait for me to get there." _Not that he believed in luck, of course, it just wasn't logical, still, he hoped that he wouldn't have to put it to a test.

He smiled softly and whispered. "Don't worry Don, I have no intention of climbing down from here until I see you."

His head was pounding and he rubbed at the sides of his temples in a circular motion in an effort to ease the pressure. The refrain returned and the thought occurred to him that he had already knocked on heaven's door twice that night and it had not opened. A chill ran through him, he had a feeling that the next time he knocked, that door would open and he wouldn't be able to avoid going through it.

Charlie glanced at his watch, two more hours until daylight, two more hours until Don would get there, two more hours to stay alive and avoid Bashere.

That damn refrain just wouldn't be silenced, it continued to swirl through his mind.

"_Knock, knock, knocking on heaven's door."_

_TBC_

A/N: "Knocking on Heaven's Door" was written by Bob Dylan.


	29. Chapter 29

-1Obsession

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: Your reviews tell me so much, they let me know if you are still interested in the story and if I've succeeded in the telling of my story. Thank you. I truly appreciate hearing from you.

(Spoiler: "Assassin")

Chapter 29:

The traumatic events of the last ten hours had finally taken it's toll on Charlie, both physically and emotionally. His adrenaline rush from the cat fight had worn off and had taken all of his remaining energy with it and now fatigue was rapidly sweeping through his body to claim him. He didn't want to sleep, it was important that he stay awake. The lions could come back or Bashere might find him. Only two more hours, Charlie just had to stay awake for one hundred and twenty more minutes. He could do this, he told himself.

He splashed water on his face, desperate to stay alert, but the welcome relief only lasted a few seconds. The young professor had suffered too much; he was injured, exhausted and now he was on the verge of collapse. Charlie caught himself just as he was nodding off and realized that he wasn't going to make it. Sighing, he carefully scooted himself backwards until his back was resting firmly against the trunk of the tree. Next, he shifted closer to the side of a small branch that was strong enough for him to lean on. He unbuckled his belt and pulled it free, then wrapped it around his waist and looped it around the small branch. It was a little snug but he buckled it tightly anyway, hissing when it touched his wound. "_At least_ _I'll have some warning if I start to fall." _he thought tiredly. "_It would be just my luck to fall out of the tree and break my neck after surviving everything else."_ He tucked the broken branch inside the loop as well, he didn't want to risk losing his only weapon.

"_Don't forget about defenestration Charles."_

Non-pulsed by the appearance of his friend, Charlie yawned widely and blinked at the figure sitting on the branch across from him. Bleary-eyed, he tilted his head to the side and replied. "There aren't any windows here Larry, so I don't believe defenestration applies to this situation."

_Larry carefully glanced downward and said. "True, but although no one is throwing you out of a window, falling from a tree can achieve the same results, especially from this height."_

Charlie snickered and pointed to the belt around his chest. "I've taken that into consideration Larry, see?"

Larry faded away without answering and for a moment Charlie forgot where he was and why he was even there. He blinked his eyes rapidly and realized that he had been hallucinating, Larry had never been there. It was a fleeting thought however, as all awareness began to fade away.

Now that the predator's had moved out of the area, the forest creatures began to return and as nature's musicians began their melodious symphonies once again, Dr. Charles Edward Eppes lost his struggle to remain awake.

Charlie's head lolled sideways against the tree trunk as his body surrendered to exhaustion. He slumbered peacefully in the protective boughs of the old oak, rocking gently as the tree swayed from side to side, pushed by the swirling winds.

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"Son of a bitch!" Don cursed as he snapped his phone shut and shoved it back into his pocket. Angrily, he whipped around to face his team. "Bashere is Fitzgerald!"

"What did Fisher find at the house?" Colby asked.

"He found an empty house." Don said with a scowl. "Fisher said that it looked as if no one had lived there for weeks. They found indentations in the carpet at all of the windows facing the Craftsman, said it looked like tripods were set up there, probably all holding cameras. Bashere was staying there just to keep an eye on Charlie. He said it didn't look like anyone had actually slept there." Don shrugged angrily as he stormed toward the printer.

"Fisher obtained a copy of Fitzgerald's passport photo and with facial recognition software they confirmed it was a match to the photo taken at the airport." he picked up the photograph and pursed his lips as he studied it. He couldn't believe it, Angus Fitzgerald's face with Bashere's cold brown eyes and hair the exact same shade as Charlie's. Don shook his head in disbelief before handing the picture to David.

"Check this out." he said as he turned away scrubbing his hands through his hair. "Man, I just don't believe this."

"Don, you couldn't have…" David started to say as he passed the picture to Colby.

"I should have done a more thorough search on the man!" Don interrupted the younger agent. "I just did a routine search on him, I …I….should have dug deeper!"

David stuck his hands in his pockets and rolled his shoulders. "You didn't have any reason to check him out Don, you know you can't do a thorough background search without suspicion that a crime has been committed."

Don's face suddenly paled and he sat down hard in a chair, covering his face with his hands. "Oh, my God!" he muttered.

Megan rushed to his side and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don, what is it, are you okay?"

"He cooked dinner for us…..Bashere actually cooked dinner for us!" He rubbed his forehead and then met his team's eyes. "He could have killed us anytime he wanted too."

It was a sobering thought and there was an uncomfortable silence as everyone took a moment to reflect on Don's words. It was a chilling revelation, considering what Bashere was capable of doing.

Finally, Megan squeezed his shoulder. "But he didn't Don, you've got to put that behind you."

"Yeah, well, that's easier said than done." Don said as he forced his emotions aside. He took a deep breath and stood up, becoming the professional agent once again.

"Colby, let's get some more pictures of Bashere to hand out and then we should be ready to begin the briefing. Megan , I want you to talk to them first and then we'll move on to the assault."

She tucked a hair behind her ear. "Right, I'll be ready."

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At four-forty five the small ranger station was packed to the limit with FBI agents, local police and park rangers. The LAPD cruisers had stayed at the Projecting Point site while the local police had barricaded the entrances to the park. Don had decided on an air assault on the cliff top with a ground assault team in place on the mountain to catch anyone that might make it down the trails. Don and his team, along with Jeff Cromwell and Ian Edgerton, stood in front of the wall map of the park.

"Listen up everyone. This is Agent Reeves, she's a profiler and she's going to tell us about the men on the plane." The SAC nodded to Megan and she began by pointing to the photographs that were spread out on the table.

She held up the photo of the two pilots. "Martin Thompson and Todd Humphrey have a history of drug-trafficking and gun-running in Afghanistan. There are no murder warrants against them but that doesn't mean that they won't fight back, so approach them with caution.'

'The same holds true for this man." This time she held up a picture of Adam Harkin. "He doesn't have a violent history, his warrants have been limited to prostitution. It is unlikely that he would resist arrest but in many cases like this, the least likely person will pull a trigger, so proceed with care. One more thing, from a distance Harkin could be confused with the hostage, so study his face closely so that you don't mistake him for Dr. Eppes." She paused and gathered up the pictures of Picarry and Krill.

"Alexis Krill and James Picarry are both hard-core mercenaries out of South Africa. There are murder warrants out on both of them in at least six countries so approach them with extreme caution….they will fight back." She placed the pictures back on the table and picked up another one.

Megan walked around the room slowly, holding the last picture up high so that everyone could see it.

"Compared to this man, the other men that I have told you about are angels." she paused, giving the agents time to absorb her words.

"Henri Bashere is a certified psychopath . He is incapable of feeling guilt, remorse or empathy for his actions. He is cunning and manipulative and he will kill you in the blink of an eye if you get in his way." she said as she briefly caught Don's eye before continuing on.

"This man is obsessed with Dr. Eppes and if he is cornered I believe that he will kill the professor before he will let us rescue him." she paused to swallow. " If you do find him, notify Agent Eppes immediately, do not force a confrontation unless you think he is going to harm DR. Eppes."

Megan removed her glasses and lowered the picture. "We don't know how many of these people actually survived the crash but we do know that some of the hostiles did."

She glanced around the room. "Are there any questions?" When no one responded she walked back to the table and put the picture down before joining her team in front of the wall map.

Don pushed what she had said to the back of his mind and turned to face the ranger.

"You said there were two trails down from the Boney Mountain Ridge. Which one do you think they would take?

Cromwell shook his head and pointed at a spot on the map. "It won't matter which one because both trails intersect with this fire road. Anyone coming down the mountain has to pass this point. If you station your men here and here." he said pointing to two different locations on the map. "You'll stop everyone that comes down those trails."

Don studied the map. "Your sure that no one could have gotten past that point already?."

"Not enough time. The trails from the Point to the fire road are hazardous in the dark and even if they had traveled an hour, they would still need at least two hours this morning to reach the road."

"We'll need one of your rangers to take a squad up the mountain to this point. How long will it take them to get to this area."

"At least an hour and forty-five minutes. If they start now, they can reach that section before seven." Cromwell looked up and waved a ranger over and introduced him to Don. "This is Ed Porter, he knows that section of the trail best."

Don nodded and called a SWAT team leader over. "Martin, take your squad and follow Ranger Porter up to this area and watch your back." He said pointing to the location on the map. "These men have already killed a number of people and as Agent Reeves pointed out, they won't hesitate to kill again."

"Understood." Martin said as he turned to leave.

"Oh, and …ah…watch out for lions." Don added, stopping Martin in his tracks.

The agent turned in surprise, not sure if he had heard correctly. "Sir?"

"Trust me, just keep an eye out for them."

"Ah…yeah, right sir." Martin spared a puzzled glance with one of his men before joining his team.

As the group headed out of the door, Don turned to Cromwell again. "I'll need you to accompany us up to the cliff. We'll need two trackers if they've split up."

"I'll collect my gear." The ranger said as he hurried away to gather his things.

The SAT watched as the agents familiarized themselves with the photographs and his eyes automatically drifted to the one of his brother. Megan's words haunted him, "_he will kill the professor before he let's us rescue him." _If Charlie had survived and was still with Bashere, how in the hell was he going to get him away from that mad man.

"Are you okay Eppes?"

Don glanced sideways at Edgerton. The sniper had changed into his camouflage attire. An M-4 assault rifle was slung over one shoulder and the barrel of his .308 caliber sniper's rifle was sticking out of his backpack.

"Yeah, Ian,...I'm just fine." He sighed as he turned to follow his team out of the door to the tactical van waiting in the parking lot. The agents were silent as they suited up for the assault. They put on their Kevlar vests and somberly loaded their rifles and pistols.

Don adjusted his ear-piece radio and had each agent check in with him to verify that it was working properly and then with flashlights in hand, they walked in single file to a large vacant field behind the ranger's station.

Two FBI aerial assault helicopters sat quietly in the darkened field. Don and his team, which now included Edgerton, meandered their way toward one of the helicopters. The grass was wet from dew, and occasionally you would hear a curse echo around the field as someone slipped on the wet grass. The second assault team separated from them and veered off toward the other chopper.

Don glanced at his watch and looked toward the skies. Daybreak was at five-fifty a.m and he fully intended to be in the air by that time.

Jeff Cromwell was wearing a protective FBI vest as well and stood near the SAC.

"The SWAT team will land first, then our team." Don informed the ranger, speaking in a calm and clear tone of voice, every inch the professional agent. He kept his face impassive, but his insides were roiling from anxiety over the fate of is brother.

"The medical helicopter will land after we take off. You'll come up with them after the area's been cleared."

Jeff nodded in understanding and added. "Don, I don't know what we are going to find up there, but I sincerely hope that we find your brother alive."

Don flushed and looked away. "Yeah, me too. Thanks."

Megan nudged Don and pointed at the horizon. "It's almost time."

A mixture of dark and light grays were beginning to cover the night sky as daylight approached. The pilots turned on the helicopters and the agents began to board them as the sound of the turning rotors broke through the silence.

Don absently popped a piece of gum into his mouth and lifted his eyes up to the mountains silhouette, visible now with the approaching dawn. He steeled his heart, careful to cradle that little bubble of hope that he was protecting there. Don set his jaw and stubbornly told himself that Charlie would be alive when he got up there, the alternative was just too terrible to even consider.

Don lowered his gaze and turned around to meet his teammates eyes. Solemnly, he nodded and boarded the helicopter with his team following closely behind him.

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Alan parked the car and turned off the ignition, but he didn't move, he just sat there staring at the doorway of the emergency entrance of the Malibu Memorial Hospital. All was quiet at the moment. He could see a few personnel walking around inside getting prepared for the coming day.

Larry had fallen asleep during the ride and his head was bent slightly forward. Alan glanced in the rear view mirror but couldn't see Amita, he knew she wasn't sleeping though, because he could catch an occasional sob; she had been crying for the past ten minutes.

His eyes drifted to the door window when he heard a tap on the glass. The young officer was back again. Alan sighed and opened the window. "Yes, son?" he asked quietly.

The patrolman leaned forward and spoke softly. "Mr. Eppes, I've been in touch with Lt. Walker and he says it will be at least another half hour before the FBI take the point. It might be a little longer, apparently there's a heavy coastal fog to contend with."

Numbly Alan just nodded his head. _"Of course, fog….why not? Was anything ever going to go right?" _he thought bitterly to himself. The officer pulled him away from his dark thoughts.

"Sir, there's an all-night diner on the corner." he said, pointing across the parking lot at the restaurant. "This is only a suggestion but you might be a little more comfortable if you wait over there."

"Thank you officer, that's a good idea."

"Mr. Eppes, my partner and I are going to stay here for a while, so if you need anything, just ask. " The young officer hesitated a moment and then added. "The lieutenant is going to let me know when the FBI take the Point. I'll notify you as soon as I hear from him."

"I'd appreciate that son. Thank you." Alan watched as the patrolman returned to his car and then gently shook Larry's arm to wake him. He glanced over his shoulder when he felt movement in the back seat and met Amita's red-rimmed eyes before she turned to open her door.

The older professor woke up and sputtered. "What…are we there yet?" he looked around anxiously, taking in the hospital entrance. "Did they arrive?"

"Were too early Larry. " Alan said as he removed the keys from the ignition and opened his door. "Let's go get some coffee at that diner while we wait."

The older man climbed out, stretching and massaging his lower back. The aches and pains just got worse with age, and today he felt a lot older than his years.

Larry and Amita joined him and with slumped shoulders, he trudged along with them to the diner.

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Bashere opened his eyes and stretched his long frame. He stood up and stepped out of his little cave. There was a heavy fog all around him, but he could see the night sky beginning to lighten up and he could hear the birds stirring in the trees that surrounded him. He smiled grimly to himself and checked his watch. Five-thirty, it wouldn't be long until daylight. The fog just might work in his favor and give him the extra time that he needed to find Charlie before Don Eppes came charging through the woods looking for his brother.

Between the early light and his flashlight he could clearly see the path so he quickly gathered his things and headed down the mountainside to pick up the professor's trail.

TBC

A/N: Thank you for your patience. I know everyone was hoping to be on the cliff top in this chapter, but I felt that we needed this one to take us there.


	30. Chapter 30

Obsession

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: You guys are awesome! Thank you so much for your reviews.

Chapter 30:

The red sun and the blue haze from the fog had changed the color of the mist to various shades of lavender and purple . The vivid colors made the sky and the surrounding mountainous peaks look more like a painting than the real thing. The coastal fog would eventually turn to orange and golden yellow pastels as the sun rose higher over the eastern horizon.

It was quite a spectacular sight and most people would take the time to admire this display of nature's art but the group approaching the Point had more urgent concerns on their minds.

Don was a native Californian and had seen many of these majestic sunrises in his lifetime but today he didn't even notice it. The breath taking array of colors didn't even register as they slid across his vision. His eyes were fixed on the Projecting Point and as the helicopter drew closer he couldn't hold back a curse when he discovered that it was encased in a heavy coastal fog. It was as if the Projecting Point and the surrounding woods had vanished.

"Agent Eppes." the pilot called out loudly so he could be heard over the noise of the helicopter blades. "Visibility is less than a quarter of a mile, a dense fog advisory has been issued."

Don's nerves were already stretched to the limit, he didn't need this latest barrier preventing him from landing on the cliff top. This wasn't a complete surprise though, he had been warned of the possibility before taking off, but Don had insisted on seeing it for himself.

"Bottom line it for me." he snapped impatiently.

"We have to wait until the fog thins out before we can land. The mist is already beginning to dissipate at sea level so it will probably be another thirty or forty minutes."

"Great! Just great!" The SAC muttered heatedly. Don took a calming breath. "All right, let's pick up the trails below the fog." Don contacted the SWAT team leader in the other helicopter. "Ridge 2, this is Ridge 1, come in."

"Ridge 2, over."

"I want you to pick up the Ray Miller Trail where the fog ends and follow it down the mountain. Check out anything that moves along that trail."

"Roger that sir."

"My team will take the Trancas Canyon Trail and do the same. Meet us back at the Point in thirty minutes. Ridge 1 out."

Don twisted around in his seat so he could face the pilot. "Take us out of here." he said grimly.

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Alan sat in a booth across from Amita and Larry in a small diner that faced the Malibu Memorial Hospital. It was six fifteen a.m. and a brilliant blue sky and bright sun seemed to mock him as he stared out of the window. How was it possible that only a few miles down the coast his sons were completely surrounded by a thick coastal fog. At six o'clock the young LAPD officer had come in and informed them that the assault had been delayed, so here they sat, still waiting for Don to land on the cliff top.

"Would you like another cup dear?"

Paula, the waitress and part owner of the restaurant, asked him as the coffee decanter hovered over his cup. Her hand trembled slightly from age, but she managed to keep a firm grip on the handle. She and Benjamin, her husband, had opened the diner back in the sixties and the two of them had gained a lot of experience over the years in dealing with people who were waiting to hear bad news. Although they were both gray now and perhaps moved a little slower than they used too, they still liked to help people, so they had decided to keep their diner open.

The proximity to the hospital assured them of unlimited customers and the people who came over to their little diner usually needed the comfort and understanding that they could provide. Over the years Paula and her husband had heard about more tragedies than the both of them cared to remember. "_But this one," _she thought sadly, _"just might be the worst one of all." _She waited a moment and then repeated her question. "Would you like a refill?"

"What? Oh. I'm sorry...yes, please." Embarrassed , Alan moved his hand so she could pour the coffee.

She refilled his cup and those of his companions but before she turned away she patted his forearm.

"You just watch that point over there, honey." She pointed to a spot near an antennae on the roof of the hospital. "The helicopter approaches the hospital from that direction." She sighed and shook her head sadly. " You won't be able to miss it."

They had arrived at the all night diner around five thirty that morning and the waitress had recognized Alan immediately. Apparently, the news reporter had flashed his and Don's photo along with Charlie's during his report and she had suggested that they sit in this particular booth so that they would know when the medivac helicopter arrived.

The three of them had run out of things to say so they just sat quietly, sipping the coffee, and taking strength from one another while they watched the skyline for the helicopter that would bring Charlie back to them.

Alan watched the sunrise with trepidation, literally torn in half by his emotions. He was anxious for Don to get up to the cliff top but he was equally terrified of what his son might discover once he made it up there. His hand shook as he lifted the cup and the hot coffee spilled over the edge, burning his hand. The pain barely registered in his worried mind and he didn't really pay it any attention until a distressed Amita was patting his hand with a napkin and cleaning up the spill. More concerned with calming her down than with the burn, he reached for her hand to assure her that he was fine when his fingers touched upon the sleeve of her red shirt. No, that wasn't right, he realized suddenly, it wasn't her shirt…this was Charlie's shirt.

Amita slid into the booth beside him, misunderstanding his reaction. "I'm sorry." she whispered miserably. "I should have asked you if I could wear this. It's just….I feel him close to me….I can smell him on this shirt."

Alan smiled sadly. "It's okay. I think it would please him to know that you are wearing it." he gently wiped the tear from her cheek and hugged her tightly as he looked over her shoulder and met the professor's worried eyes. Unshed tears glistened brightly in the corners of Larry's eyes and he looked away, unable to hold Alan's gaze.

Alan had never known the cosmologist to be at a loss for words... until now. His attention was drawn back to Amita as she shifted in his arms. She laid her head upon his shoulder and he stroked her hair gently as Charlie's last words echoed through his mind. "_Could you help Amita too_." He closed his eyes and whispered. "There, there now."

A whiff of cologne assailed his senses and it tugged at his heart with such force that he couldn't hold back a sob; Amita was right, he could smell Charlie's cologne on the shirt. Alan held her close and closing his eyes once again he took comfort from that familiar smell.

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_Charlie was running, but he couldn't seem to get anywhere. No matter what direction he ran in, he always ended up back at the tree. He panted and gasped for breath, stretching his arm out to support himself against the tree. Sweat was running in rivulets down the side of his face; he was so hot. He couldn't remember when he had ever been this hot before, it was as if the heat was coming from within his own body. But he couldn't worry about that right now, he had to run, someone was after him, he couldn't remember who, only that he had to get away._

_Suddenly, someone grabbed him from behind and he fought them like a man possessed, pulling at the arms that were holding him close. Panic-stricken, he couldn't breathe, dark spots were swimming before his eyes before he finally got himself free. Frantic, he turned around and felt his heart stop beating as he stared into the malevolent eyes of Henri Bashere!_

Charlie's eyes snapped open and with a part of his mind still within the dreamworld he frantically tore at the arms that were restraining him. His frenzied movements soon had him sliding from the branch and left him dangling by the belt that he had fastened around the smaller bough. The pain that resulted from the initial jerk of the belt cut through his panic-stricken mind and he ceased his struggles instantly. A groan escaped his lips before he clenched his jaw tightly and grabbed the branch. Wide awake now, he pulled himself back up to the bough that he had been sitting on and quickly twisted himself around so that he could unbuckle the belt. He let out a sigh of relief when he could pull the belt free and removed the pressure from his side. His head fell back against the tree and he closed his eyes again until the pain subsided.

Finally, he opened his eyes and they widened even further at the sight that greeted him. The darkness had been replaced by a strange pink and purple light show. It was surreal, he was totally enveloped in a world of colors. It felt as if he was completely cut off from the rest of the world as he looked around in amazement. The fog that swirled around him was so thick that he could only see two feet in front of him.

Charlie sat up straighter when he heard a loud noise pass overhead. He looked skyward and although he couldn't see it, he knew what it was. Don... it had to be his brother, and that thought brought a relieved smile to his face. Charlie couldn't keep from grinning, he had survived the night and now help was nearby. Of course, his brother would have to wait for the fog to clear before he would be able find him and it would be hard for Don to spot him while he was in the tree. He glanced at his watch, six a.m.. The mist would burn off in another half hour and then he would work his way down the tree and out into the open... someplace where he could be seen from the air.

Charlie pushed an errant curl out of his eyes and rubbed his forehead; his skin felt warm to the touch. "_Ut oh." _he thought. "_I think I'm running a fever." _He carefully lifted up his shirt to check his wound. It had bled through his makeshift bandages but the bleeding had stopped. Charlie felt his skin around the cut and winced , it was tender and very warm. _"Crap, it's infected, no wonder I feel so hot."_ Sighing he pulled a half empty bottle of water from his jacket pocket and gulped it down. He searched his pockets, there was one small bottle left and he was still so very thirsty. Charlie looked longingly at the water but then he forced himself to put it back into his pocket deciding that he would need it more when he got out of the tree. Don would have water, he told himself, but he still had to find him first.

Charlie found himself getting impatient and fifteen minutes later he had decided that he had waited long enough. He began the slow process of climbing down the massive old oak.

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Bashere smiled grimly as the helicopter flew over him. "Damn Feds!….no, damn Don Eppes.!" he hissed as he slowly made his way down from the rocks. As he got to the bottom of the hill he spotted Picarry's remains.

The Frenchman stepped lightly over the rocks until he was standing over the man's mutilated body. "My, my, that lion must have been really hungry." he murmured as his eyes drifted over what was left of James Picarry..

He started to turn away but hesitated as a thought occurred to him. He bent over the remains and searched through Picarry's s pockets until he found the man's wallet. Bashere pulled out his own wallet and removed his money and any cards that could be traced back to him and then put his wallet in Picarry's pocket. He straightened up with a smirk on his face. "Thank you again Mr. Picarry." he said sarcastically. "You just bought me a little extra time, they won't be looking for me anymore, they'll be looking for you."

The helicopter passed overhead again, prompting him to hurry onward; he had to find the spot on the trail where he had last seen Charlie's tracks. He had to move faster, he told himself, he had to find the young professor before the fog lifted.

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Alan, Larry and Amita were the only patrons at the moment so the cook and waitress, Benjamin and Paula, the owners of the diner, were sitting on stools in front of the counter watching the early news The morning newscast was suddenly interrupted by an announcement of "breaking news." Benjamin increased the volume as his three patrons joined them at the counter

The anchorman announced breaking news at the La Jolla Point and the picture shifted to a newscaster standing on an overlook area beneath the cliffs. Other news vans could be seen behind him, it was no longer a local story, all of the major networks were now covering it. The FBI had designated the area around the park as a "no-fly" zone so the news media had been restricted to ground coverage only.

"This is Michael Whittemore reporting live from the La Jolla Cliffs at Point Mugu." The camera panned toward the sky where two helicopters were approaching the cliff and then back down to the reporter. Whittemore turned to face the camera.. "As you can see , now that the fog has dissipated, the rescue operations have commenced and the FBI SWAT helicopters are headed for the cliff where the downed lear jet crashed last night. However, we have been told that the Medivac helicopter will not be allowed to land until the FBI have secured the area. The fate of young Professor Eppes is still unknown at this time and all of our attempts to contact his father have resulted in failure. We have been informed that any survivors will be taken to Malibu Memorial Hospital and there is a good chance that Mr. Eppes is already there, waiting for his son's arrival."

"That is truly a despicable man." Larry mumbled, surprising everyone.

Alan patted his shoulder. "I agree with you Larry." he said without taking his eyes from the tv screen. .

The camera shifted to the helicopters that were now hovering over the visible tail section of the plane. As they watched one of the choppers landed, disappearing from view, while the other one continued to hover above the site.

"The FBI still refuses to comment on the identities of the other passengers that were on board the plane, only saying that this it is still an ongoing investigation. We will remain here as the story unfolds."

The camera panned back to the top of the Point and as they watched, the first helicopter rose up and continued to hover over the cliff. The second one began to fly in a continuous circle around the crash site.

Alan's hand covered his mouth as he watched and waited, unable to take his eyes off of the television screen.

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The fog had turned to orange and golden yellow by the time that Don and his team had returned to the Point. A thin veil of the mist still remained over the crash site, but they now had enough visibility to land.

"Does thermal imaging show anything?" he asked the pilot as they hovered over the site.

"No sir, no life signs in the immediate area."

"Okay, take us down." he told the pilot. "Ridge 1 to Ridge 2."

"Ridge 2, over."

"There are no signs of our targets, I say again, the area appears to be secure. Stay airborne until I call you down and continue to patrol the perimeter. Ridge 1 out."

"Roger that. Ridge 2 out."

"_Could Charlie have survived that?" _Don thought as the helicopter descended. His heart sank as they slid the door open and climbed out. The helicopter took up a lot of the crash site and since they had already determined that they weren't in any immediate danger, he ordered it to lift off and cover them from the air. That said, however, he wasn't about to take any chances. Quickly jumping into agent mode, he gave signals to his team and guns drawn, they all spread out to find cover in the surrounding rocks.

"This is the FBI, come out with your hands in the air!" Don called out.

Silence greeted his demand so he sent silent signals to his team to move closer to the main body of the aircraft. Edgerton scouted the crash site while Don and his team dodged to either side of the opening of the plane. Another hand signal, and they crouched down to peer through the opening. Don held up his fingers and silently counted to three and right on signal they burst through the opening ready to fire at any threat . No threat greeted them however, just silence.

Sunlight filtered through the broken windows and the jagged opening revealing the destroyed interior of the cabin. Remnants of the once luxurious cabin were scattered in pieces everywhere. The team began a quick search of the debris for anyone hiding there while Don worriedly searched through twisted pieces of metal and piles of broken furniture for any signs of his brother. He exhaled a breath of relief as their search failed to find any sign of Charlie.

The main cabin turned up empty so they advanced toward the cockpit. The door had been ripped from it's hinges and was lying on the floor in front of the doorway.

There was something on the door and the agents moved closer to check it out. A trail of multiple bloodied paw prints ran across the door. Four pair of eyes followed the trail from the cockpit to the jagged opening at the rear of the plane. Don lifted his head and met his teammates anxious eyes before turning his attention back to the cockpit.

"What do you suppose made those tracks?" David asked apprehensively.

"Coyotes." Edgerton stated, as he bent down to enter the cabin. "Picked up their trail outside." he met their startled eyes and shrugged. "Sorry, thought you heard me coming."

Megan cleared her throat, trying to cover up her uneasiness. "Ah, your sure they're coyotes?"

The tracker squatted down and looked at the door. "Yep, they're scavengers, probably smelled the blood and came running." He looked up just as Don's face paled and quickly stood up. "Look, Don, I'm sorry…. I wasn't thinking. I'm going to go back out and check for tracks."

Don simply nodded and watched him leave. He swallowed and turned to David and Colby who were closer to the doorway. "Check it out."

The two agents stepped carefully forward and peered through the doorway. Their reaction was instantaneous and both of them mmediatley backed away from the cockpit.

"Oh, man….that's nasty." Colby said in a shaky voice.

David swallowed hard before he spoke. "The…ah…the pilot and co-pilot are no longer a threat."

Don studied his face. "Dead, huh?"

"Very." Colby confirmed grimly.

Don and Megan stepped around them and took a quick look. They retreated just as quickly.

"What a way to go." Megan murmured in a shaky voice.

"Yeah." Don agreed as he spoke into his radio. "Ridge 1 to Ridge 2."

"Ridge 2, over."

"The pilot and the co-pilot are dead. That narrows our search to four targets and our hostage. Over."

"Roger that, Ridge 2 out."

"Ian, come in."

Edgerton's voice crackled over the radio. "I just checked out the tail section. If anyone was sitting back there they were probably sucked out. There's a large hole in the floor big enough for a man to go through."

Don swallowed nervously. "Understood, we're on our way out." he glanced at his team. "Let's go , there's nothing else in here."

Don lead the way outside, pulling plastic gloves from his pocket as he went. They separated and began to search through the wreckage that was large enough to hide a body. Ten minutes later Don stopped in front of an open suitcase. Strips of bloody cloths lay in heaps on the ground beside the bag along with a number of empty water bottles. He squatted down and sorted through the torn shirts and the clothes in the suitcase. All of the clothing in the bag appeared to be new; price tags still remained attached to the sleeves of the shirts and pockets of the pants. A trained observer, it didn't take him long to note that all of the clothing matched his brother's size. A clothing tag lying on the ground caught his eye. Someone had left the area wearing a new leather jacket and a new tee shirt. His thoughts darkened, "_If it was Charlie, he was hurt…but he was alive." _He clenched his jaw tightly as he spotted a crumpled shirt caught under a bush near the suitcase. Don had just stretched his hand out to pick it up when Ian called out.

"I found a body, it's a little to the right of the plane, near the edge of the woods." His voice sounded strained. " It's under a piece of the broken wing."

Don stood up, crumpled shirt forgotten, and glanced apprehensively in the agent's direction as a sudden feeling of dread began to spread through his body. Megan, Colby and David were almost there before he started to move. His legs felt heavy and seemed to move of their own accord as he reluctantly followed along behind them.

Edgerton stepped away from the body as he got closer and placed a hand on Don's arm. The pity in the man's eyes ripped at his heartstrings. "Maybe you shouldn't go over there. It …it…might be Charlie."

"Oh, God!" Megan gasped and put her hand to her mouth. She recoiled and stepped backwards, dropping suddenly to her knees to empty her stomach.

David and Colby appeared to be close to repeating her actions as Don jerked his arm out of Edgerton's grasp and stepped around him.

As Don's eyes drifted downward, that little bubble of hope that he had been so carefully cradling within his heart abruptly burst with such force that it felt like he had received a physical blow to his heart. The pain was almost too much for him to bear as he sank to his knees beside the body of a young man wearing a tee shirt with the symbol for pi on it. The only other identifying feature was the curly brown hair.

Don's anguish had clouded his mind and he had not fully taken in the condition of the body lying in front of him. As his hand gently caressed a few of the curls, his gaze shifted to the body's face and his eyes widened in horror. Don's face blanched and with a quick intake of his breath he recoiled.

The face of the young man had been eaten away by an animal. Don's stomach twisted and he turned to the side, retching uncontrollably. "_This wasn't happening_,_this couldn't be happening_." he told himself. His mind searched desperately for some way to make his thoughts believable.

As if from a distance, he heard David asking Edgerton about the condition of the body.

"Did coyotes do this too?"

The tracker nodded. "Yeah, they go for the soft places first, face and fingertips." his voice trailed off as he looked at the body. "I'm going to check for tracks."

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to meet Megan's teary eyes. White-faced, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and stood shakily to his feet. Don locked eyes with his friends and their sympathetic gazes seemed to lend fuel to a feeling that was quickly growing within him, and he stubbornly rebuilt that little bubble of hope in his heart.

Don's eyes hardened as he pointed a finger at the body. "That… is … not … Charlie!" he rasped emphatically. "It must be that other guy!" He pivoted on his heel and strode angrily away from them to stand beside the suitcase that he had been checking out before Ian had called to them. The team had followed him and were watching him warily, not really sure of the best way to help him. He appreciated their concern but he had to convince them that they were wrong.

Don took a deep breath to steady himself. "I don't know how I know, but that is not my brother." his eyes softened. "It can't be."

"Don…I." Megan started to say as she wiped away a tear.

Don bent over and plucked the crumpled shirt from beneath the bush and as he spread it out upon the ground the design on the front of it was revealed. The other's knelt down beside of him and stared in amazement at the symbol for pi.

"Look, whoever wore this shirt was injured." There was a dash of hope in the tone of his voice as he traced the tear in the shirt with his gloved finger. "He was hurt, but he managed to clean the wound and bandage it."

"If it had been a deep wound there would have been a lot more blood." David said, becoming infused with Don's tone, desperately yearning for a different outcome.

"Right, and there's no blood trail leading away, so he was able to stop the bleeding." Colby added, wanting with all of his heart to believe that his friend wasn't dead and laying on the ground under that broken wing.

Megan watched Don's face closely. She knew what he was doing, he was latching on to a false hope, he had no proof that the body they had found wasn't Charlie. She prayed that he was right, but she knew he was going to fall that much harder, if he was wrong.

"Don, I hope your right, but we still don't know if……"

Don's eyes lit up excitedly as he looked up. "Yes, we do." he interrupted her. "Guys, check this out." he held up the shirt. "Look at the color, it's faded, it's been washed a number of times." Without realizing it, he held the shirt tightly to his chest. "This is the shirt that I gave Charlie for his birthday…..this is his shirt." That bubble of hope swelled within his heart as he met their eyes. "My brother walked away from this crash and he's out there somewhere."

"He may be right." Edgerton called out from the edge of the woods and waved them over. "There are tracks over here."

Don reluctantly placed the shirt back where he had found it and with a hopeful glance at his team, he jogged over to join the agent. "What have you found?"

Edgerton was kneeling on the ground and the senior agent followed his lead and knelt as well. "See these." he pointed out. "These are tracks of a smaller man and he was running away from someone; see how they're spaced apart." he waved to a second set of footprints. "And here are the tracks of a much larger man, also running."

Don looked up and grinned at the other agents. "I'm thinking that Charlie's the only one who had a reason to run from these guys." He stood up and reiterated his earlier statement with much more conviction this time. "That body is not my brother."

David sighed. "Okay, that still leads us with four people. Charlie, Bashere, Krill and Picarry."

"Ian, if only two of them went this way, where did the other two go?"

The tracker stood up and motioned for them to follow him as he walked back across the site to the woods on the other side of the plane. Pointing to more tracks he explained that two more men had taken another trail down the mountain.

"These are the men that fired on the helicopter, see, here are the shell casings."

"Okay, let's put it together." Don mused aloud. "Benton, the pilots and Harken are dead." he refused to even consider that the dead man was his brother. "Charlie's on that trail over there with Bashere right behind him."

"And Krill and Picarry are headed down the mountain on this trail." Megan swept her arm in the direction of the trail.

Edgerton had left them and returned to the clearing where they had landed. Don and the rest of the team joined him as he was donning his backpack once again. The tracker met his gaze.

"I'm going to get started on Charlie's trail. Those tracks are at least ten hours old, I've got some catching up to do."

"I'm coming with you." Don said firmly.

"Actually Don, it would be better if I go alone. I can go faster and quieter." he said and lifted a hand to forestall the older agent as he walked over to the edge of the trail. "You guys should take the chopper out over this trail. You might spot Charlie from the air and it will keep Bashere distracted while I come up behind him." He looped his rifle around his shoulder as he waited for the agent's decision.

Don scrubbed his hand through his hair. It made sense, although he didn't want to admit it but Charlie's chances of survival was greater if Edgerton went alone. He finally nodded his head in agreement.

"Keep that radio on and stay in touch." he called out as Edgerton disappeared into the woods without another word.

Don took a deep breath and forced himself away from the trail.

"Ridge 2, this is Ridge 1. Over."

"Ridge 2. Over."

"We have another body, Adam Harken, so you can cross him off of your list." They were all convinced now that Charlie had gotten away. " Return to the ranger's station and pick up Ranger Cromwell. Our perps have split up."

Don pulled a map from his jacket pocket and with the help of his team he spread it out on the ground. He ran his finger along the marked trails while they held it steady against the breeze.

"Listen up. We believe that Krill and Picarry have taken the Ray Miller trail head and I want your team and the ranger to track them. We also believe that Dr. Eppes and Bashere have taken the Trancas Canyon trail. Edgerton is already following them and my team will cover it from the air. Understood."

"Roger that. We're on our way. Ridge 2 out."

Don watched as one of the helicopter's left for the ranger's station and the other descended to the crash site. The SAC and his team hurriedly climbed aboard and as they took flight Don relayed the events to the assistant director.


	31. Chapter 31

Obsession

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: I truly appreciate your reviews. Thank you.

Chapter 31:

The descent down the tree was becoming a long and arduous one, not to mention a painful one. His wound would send out agonizing spasms if he twisted the wrong way which seemed to happen quite often as he worked his way down through the boughs of the old oak. He was bruised and battered from the crash and literally ached from head to toe. Charlie was certain that the next time he stepped into the shower he would find black and blue bruises covering his entire body. He was moving stiffly and tried to stretch his aching muscles before going any further.

It amazed him that he had been able to climb up so high, especially when he took into consideration his own height and the distance between the branches. "_It must have been an adrenalin rush." _he mused. "_Can't wait to tell Don about this one." _and then _"I wonder how an adrenalin rush would figure into my Cognitive Emergence Theory."_

Charlie had only traveled ten feet down the tree, his method of getting down was a slow one. He would scoot out to the middle of the branch and drape his jacket over the bough. Next , he would grip an arm of the jacket in each hand and ease himself over the branch, stretching his body until his feet could make contact with the lower branch. All in all, a very effective way to get down without falling, albeit a slow one. He paused to wipe his brow and looked up at the sky. The bright sun had burned off the last of the fog and was already warming everything up. As a native Californian, he could tell the signs, it was only seven a.m. and it was going to be a hot one.

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Edgerton knelt down to get a closer look at the tracks. It was getting more difficult to find them now, the trail was becoming rockier, with less and less ground to provide footprints for him to follow. It didn't help that the local wildlife had also used the trail recently. Apparently, a pack of coyote's had traveled the same path and their tracks had nearly obliterated the few that he had found.

It had been easy to spot the professor's tracks in the beginning, Charlie had been on the run and had left not only tracks, but broken branches to follow, but that had suddenly stopped. The mathematician had calmed himself down and had started concealing the signs of his passage.

Ian applauded his efforts, "_not bad for an amateur." _he thought. Bashere, on the other hand, was obviously a skilled tracker in his own right, and he appeared to be quite clever at concealing his own tracks. That fact, along with the local wildlife, was putting his skills and his patience to a test. It didn't help that Eppes was calling him every half hour for a report. Ian shrugged, he couldn't blame the man though, if Charlie had been his brother, he was sure that he would be doing the same thing. The tracker had been a little surprised that Eppes hadn't argued longer with him about coming along, but then, the man was a professional, despite the fact that he had a personal interest in this case. The SAC would have considered all the risks and realized that this was the best way to deal with the situation….still, it had to be a tough decision for him to make.

He paused to grab a bottle of water from his pack and drank it down in one long gulp barely noticing it as his eyes continued to range over the terrain. Tucking the empty bottle back into his backpack, he hefted his rifle back over his shoulder and hurried on down the trail.

"Edgerton, come in." Don's anxious voice crackled over the radio.

Ian continued to survey the area as he answered. "Yeah, go ahead."

"You spot anything yet?"

"Nothing but old tracks…. you?"

"Negative. Call me if you find them and don't try to take Bashere alone. Understood?"

"Loud and clear. Out."

Ian's eyes settled on something in the sky that distracted him so much that he barely finished his last sentence. In the distance he could see a kettle of vultures circling over something, more disturbing to him was the fact that they appeared to be flying over the same area that he was headed for. Grimly, he increased his speed as he followed the trail.

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Bashere had finally picked up Charlie's trail and had followed it to a curve in the path. He rounded the bend, occasionally catching a partial footprint between the stones until he reached a point where they just seemed to vanish. Animal tracks were dominating the trail, and he exhaled a curse as he recognized a few lion tracks among them.

The helicopter returned and he dived under a chaparral bush just as it rounded the bend. It was flying lower than before and hovering longer over the parts of the trail that were shaded heavily by the trees. He kept his head down, glaring at the helicopter until it was out of sight once again.

"No!" Bashere muttered angrily. There was no way in hell that Charlie was going to get away from him….not now…. no way! Fuming, he started to crawl out from under the bush when something caught his eye. If he hadn't been under the bush he would have missed it completely. Blood, a drop of dried blood on a leaf of the bush. Now that he knew what to look for it was easier to spot another one. After that he found a partial footprint, more importantly, the heel of a footprint and it was facing in the opposite direction.

Suddenly, a grin crossed his features and he straightened up, gazing back down the trail that he had just traveled.

"Nice trick, Charlie." he mumbled, " Very clever, but it's not going to work."

Bashere's eyes lit up with anticipation and with a wary eye to the sky, he worked his way back down the trail, following the occasional drop of blood.

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Four sets of eyes studied the trail as the helicopter hovered above it. So far, all they had managed to do was stir up was the local wildlife. A herd of mule deer scattered in their wake as they flew overhead.

The tension in the helicopter was palpable. The agents were on edge and binoculars in hand, they continually searched the land below them for any signs of Charlie or Bashere.

"Damn it!" Don muttered. "Where is he? Charlie's got to know that we're looking for him,…why doesn't he come out in the open?" He rubbed the back of his neck trying to knead out the knots that had formed there. It didn't help though, every minute that passed without them finding his brother just seemed to tighten his muscles even more.

His question went unanswered, not that he had been expecting one. He already knew the answer anyway, Charlie couldn't reveal himself if he was hiding from that madman. Don could see the worry in his teammates eyes, they knew the odds as well as he did. Even Colby, who normally would have a flippant comment to make, had become unusually silent. Charlie's chances of survival diminished greatly if Bashere caught up to him first and Don couldn't shake a gut feeling that the minutes were stacking up on Bashere's side.

"Ridge 2 to Ridge 1."

"Ridge 1. Go ahead." Don responded.

"We found an injured hiker, he fell down a ravine. It looks like he broke a leg, Medivac just flew him out. Over."

"Roger that. Any sign of your quarry? Over."

"Still following the tracks. Over."

"Keep me posted. Ridge 1 out." He shared an frustrated look with his team and picked up his binoculars again, mumbling under his breath. "Come on Chuck,….give me a sign."

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The helicopter had flown overhead at least three times by Charlie's count, and all of his efforts to quietly wave them down had failed. The tree that had protected him so well during the night, now prevented his rescue. Charlie had no choice, he had to find an open area to flag the helicopter down.

The view that he had from this height was truly breathtaking, and any other time he would have been able to appreciate it, but not this time. This time he was more concerned with avoiding Bashere and finding his brother or any of the nearest law enforcement personnel that were currently scattered around the mountains trying to find him. His head tilted sideways and he narrowed his eyes as he detected movement along the trail but Charlie breathed a sigh of relief a few minutes later when several deer came bounding out of the thicket.

The young mathematician glanced toward the rock face where the flickering firelight had appeared during the night. There were no flames now just the bare rock reflecting the sunlight and birds circling around the base of the rocks. "_Vultures." _he thought darkly. It turned his stomach to think about what they might have found for their morning meal. He turned his head and checked the area to the right of him and could see a bare ridge and the ocean beyond it. That might work, once he got to the ridge he could proceed toward the crash site and stay in the open in case the helicopter flew over. Charlie rubbed a finger over his lips as he estimated the distance; roughly three miles he thought, but it was hard to be sure without knowing the type of terrain that he would have to cross to get there.

His decision made, he wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans and tossed the jacket over the bough. He bent down and eased himself over the branch until he hung from it and then gripped the arms of the jacket so he could lower himself down to the next branch.

Charlie had just pulled the jacket down when he heard a twig snap. He whipped his head around, searching for the origin of the sound. The heavy foliage blocked part of his view but he could hear soft footfalls heading toward the tree. He froze and held his breath as the owner of the feet shuffled beneath his tree and stood at the base of it. His heart was hammering in his chest as he wrapped his arms around the tree trunk, determined to become a part of the tree.

He stared at the ground below him but he couldn't get a very good look at the person because of the thick leaves that surrounded him. "_Don't let it be Bashere, please don't let it be Bashere." _became a mantra that he silently whispered over and over again.

Charlie couldn't see the man from his location and he couldn't risk moving around to get a better view. He prayed silently that whoever it was wouldn't look up because although the leaves around him were quite dense, he wasn't sure if he would be completely hidden from sight if someone actually looked up into the tree. He leaned out a little further to try and get a better look but all he could really see was the top of someone's head. Charlie couldn't even discern the man's hair color because it was lost in the dappled shadows of the leaves.

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Edgerton stepped off the trail and followed Bashere's tracks toward the escarpment that loomed above him. He was relieved that he hadn't found any signs of Charlie's tracks here, especially since he had also discovered lion tracks trailing the Frenchman's. There was a steep incline leading up to a promontory rock that created an overhang about fifty feet up the side of the cliff. After draping his gun around his shoulders and adjusting the rifle in his backpack until it was more centered, he began the climb. Despite the incline, it really wasn't very difficult. The wind, weather and time had worn at the rocks and it was actually quite easy for him to make his way up the side of the cliff. Ian stopped twenty feet into the climb when he spotted a venue of vultures feeding and fighting over a carcass at the base of the rocks. There were so many of them around the carrion that Ian couldn't tell exactly what they were eating.

The tracker inched his way over to them to get a closer look but the birds were reluctant to give up their breakfast. He picked up a stick and ran toward them, swinging it back and forth until they scattered enough so that he could see what they were eating. Ian chased the remainder of them away when he discovered the nature of their meal but they didn't go far. The birds flew up to the surrounding tree's and rocks, angrily screeching and flapping their wings at him.

Edgerton ignored them and grimaced at the sight before him as he studied the remains of the body, not that there was much left. The lion had been extremely thorough, and with the added attention of the vultures, it was going to be almost impossible to identify the man's remains. He pulled a pair of plastic gloves from his pocket and squatted down next to the body, searching through the torn and bloody clothing. until he found the man's wallet. His eyebrow's shot up in surprise when he read the man's identity.

"Eppes, come in."

"Yeah, go ahead Ian. Did you find something?"

"I found a body and your going to love this. The I.D. in the wallet reads Angus Fitzgerald. It would appear that Bashere is no longer a threat."

"Ian are your sure?" Don's excited voice returned. "Give me your location and we'll join you. Got it. We're on our way. Out."

As it turned out, there was a wide enough area for the helicopter to land at the top of the bluff and the agents were able to work their way down to the bottom of the cliff without any problems.

Edgerton perused the surrounding area as he waited for the agents to join him at the base of the rocks. His experienced eyes scanned for any signs of passage but the only movement that he saw was of the animal variety. He turned as the agents approached and motioned toward the body.

"There's not much left to identify him." David commented, as he stepped down from the rock.

Colby snorted as he joined him. "Couldn't have happened to a more deserving guy."

Don rubbed his chin nervously. "Ian, did you find any of Charlie's tracks around here?"

Ian grinned. "Relax Eppes, Charlie didn't come this way."

"Hey, guys?" Megan called from the cliff above them. "Someone stayed in a cave up here. There's also a trail of blood that looks like it goes all the way down the cliff to that body." She glanced toward Edgerton. "Would the lion drag him all the way down there?"

The sniper shook his head and called back. "Not in this case, from the blood pattern down here, this is where the lion attacked."

"Then where did this blood come from?" she yelled, as she pointed to the rocks where she was standing.

The agents made their way up the cliff and joined her. While they studied the blood stain on the rocks, Ian checked out the cave. "Well, someone was fairly comfortable last night. A fire to keep them warm and it was placed strategically to discourage any unwelcome visitors." he squatted down and checked out the large blood stain as well, then stood and followed a wide smear of blood to the edge of the cliff.

"Whoever slept in that cave shot Bashere up here and then pushed him over the side. The lion came in and finished him off." Ian walked back and knelt down beside of the ashes. "Fire's been out a couple of hours now, blood stain ….hmm….maybe five or six hours old."

"So... Bashere stumbled in and got himself shot for his troubles." David mused out loud.

"Maybe." Don squatted down and thoughtfully studied the stain as he twirled the sunglasses in his hand.

Megan leaned over his shoulder. "You see something Don?"

The SAC shook his head and slowly stood up. "I don't know…something just doesn't feel right."

"What do you mean?" Colby asked, moving in to take a closer look at the stain.

"Think about it." Don said. " I can picture Bashere shooting someone and tossing them to a lion, not the other way around."

David shrugged. "Bashere could have been caught by surprise."

Don shook his head. "I don't think so, the man's too careful. I can't see him just walking up to someone like that."

"Don has a good point." Megan agreed. "Bashere wouldn't do that, he doesn't trust anyone. He would have found some way to get that man out of the cave before he confronted him."

"Right." Don agreed. "That's exactly what he would do and he's smart enough to cover his tracks by trading his wallet for the victim's."

Edgerton walked back to the edge of the cliff and followed the trail with his eyes. "So, we're operating under the assumption that Bashere is still out there and that he is still on Charlie's trail."

"Exactly." Don said as he turned around and yelled up to the pilot. "Hey, Martinez! You got anything up there that we can cover this body with?"

"Yeah, I've got a tarp. I'll be right down." The pilot yelled back.

"Then I've still got a trail to follow." Edgerton said as he hoisted his gun over his shoulder and without another word he headed back down the cliff.

"Stay in touch Ian." Don called after him and then turned back to his team. "Let's get this guy covered and get back in the air." He pointed to the woods below them. " I want to narrow our search area to a few miles around this location."

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Charlie's heart sank as the man began to mumble angrily. He knew who it was now and he barely suppressed a moan as the realization hit him full force. "_Bashere….why did it have to be Bashere." _he thought in despair. He leaned closer to the tree, barely breathing as he strained to keep an eye on the man while he listened to the Frenchman vent his anger.

"Charlie had to go through here." he cursed, "He must have gone further into the grove." Bashere sat down and pulled his cell phone from his pocket. He flipped it open only to slam it shut almost immediately. "Damn phone!" he cursed. "No signal.. worthless piece of crap."

The man was talking to himself and skipping from one subject to another. Charlie shuddered, Bashere had really slipped into madness now, he was totally insane.

"Where did that dear boy go?" The man shifted his position under the tree trying to get more comfortable. "I'm really going to be pissed if some lion got him last night….. some genius….he should have stayed with me, at least I have a weapon."

Bashere stood up suddenly, stretching his arms over his head as he looked up into the tree. A loud rumble cut through the stillness and his eyes shifted toward the sound. The noise was getting louder and coming toward him so he quickly hunched down and hid under the tree as the helicopter flew over the area. The man remained hidden until the chopper passed overhead and headed toward the distant rock escarpment.

"Damn…damn!." he cursed again. "How did Eppes find my cave so fast, it's a good thing that I left when I did." he glanced at the ground, looking for more tracks. "I've got to find Charlie first. He had to have left a trail….I'll just have to find it." Bashere muttered angrily to himself as he dashed to the next tree in the grove.

Charlie's heart fluttered at the mention of Don's name but he held his breath and didn't move as he kept an eye on Bashsere's retreating form. He remained where he was , long after Bashere had left and with regret watched the helicopter land on top of the distant rock bluff. Don was there, he just knew it, only a few miles away and he couldn't even try to get his attention because if he made any noise at all, Bashere would find him first and that was a risk that he wasn't willing to take. After twenty minutes and no sign of Bashere, Charlie took one last longing look at the helicopter and then began his descent once again.

Finally, he was standing on the last bough and once again was amazed that he had managed to get up in the tree at all. Using the jacket he lowered himself down but was still dangling four feet from the ground. He let go and hit the ground with a thud and ended up on his back when his feet slipped out from under him. He lay there only a moment to catch his breath and to give the throbbing in his side a chance to calm down. That was when he noticed the dried blood on the tree. His eyebrows rose as he realized that was how Bashere had been tracking him. He had been so lucky that the Frenchman had not walked around to that side of the tree. Charlie swallowed hard and pulled himself up. He grabbed the jacket out of the tree and searched the ground for the stick that he had tossed down before he had begun his descent. He found it after a short search and as he straightened up his eyes drifted in the direction of the escarpment. He couldn't see it now, but he knew where it was.

Charlie began to walk toward the trail, the pull to find his brother was so great that he was only a few feet from it when he stopped. Many areas along the trail were shrouded by trees and shrubbery, good places for someone to hide in, someone like Bashere. He could have doubled back when Charlie wasn't looking….he could be hiding somewhere along the trail, just waiting for him to walk by.

Charlie sighed and with regret in his eyes he turned away from the trail. He had wasted enough time, he had to get to the open ridge. Bashere could be anywhere, the ridge was his only option….but the big question was,…could he get there without running into that madman.

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Bashere crouched beneath a bush and watched as Charlie climbed down the tree. He had spotted his quarry with that one quick glance upward and had pretended to leave. The Frenchman knew that the only way to get the professor to come down was to pretend that he hadn't seen him and of course, he knew Charlie would head straight for the crash site so he had doubled back along the trail while Charlie was focused on his descent. Bashere knew that he couldn't get close enough to the tree to capture him without being seen, so he had decided to wait along the trail and surprise Charlie when he headed back toward the cliff.

Excitedly, he watched as the young man come closer. He chuckled to himself, this was going to be so easy. Suddenly, the professor stopped and gazed along the trail then abruptly turned on his heel, and headed in the opposite direction. Bashere was shocked, where was he going.?

Cursing softly to himself, the older man hurriedly tried to parallel his target's movements. He was too far away to catch up without attracting attention , so he kept him in sight and tracked him from a safe distance.

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The path dipped downward, narrowing as it curved around a ravine before continuing on in a steep incline. Edgerton moved slowly along the trail until he came to the edge of the ravine. He glanced over the side and perused the disturbed soil, rocks and broken branches. Someone had slid over the side, but only a few feet down, catching themselves on the tree roots that were protruding through the soil. Whoever it was had managed to crawl back up to the trail.

Something caught his eye and he knelt down, studying it with dismay. Blood, small droplets of dried blood were scattered around the trail. Charlie had been hurt but up until now, he had not been leaving a trail of blood. The fall must have opened his wound, and he was willing to bet that the professor hadn't realized that he was bleeding again.

Edgerton discovered a partial print, Charlie's heel print, but it was hours old . His eyes drifted downward and he knelt next to a bush. The ground beneath the bush had been disturbed, someone had hidden there, and recently. He ran his fingers over a shoe print and recognized it immediately. This print was made by the same man that he had followed from the crash site, the same man that had been chasing his friend.. Don was right, Bashere was still alive and he was gaining on Charlie. The print was one to two hours old and Ian was finally gaining on him.

Ian retraced his steps and found where Charlie had left the trail, but before he followed them, he noticed another area where the earth had been disturbed. He tracked Bashere's footprints as they left the trail and followed them to a bush where the ground showed multiple footprints. Bashere had crouched down behind the bush and waited there, hiding or watching someone.

Ian scanned the area that was within view of the bush. All he could see was the trail up to the bend and a grove of oak trees to the right of the trail. "_What had the man been watching? _He stood up and followed the footprints for a few feet. The tracker checked the ground carefully, Bashere's tracks were the only ones that he found, there were none of Charlie's…._so why did the Frenchman leave the trail and go in this direction?"_

Puzzled, he made his way back down the trail to where he had discovered Charlie's prints. The professor's tracks were at least eight hours old and he didn't find any new ones until he was about forty feet from the trail. Lots of new tracks, Charlie wasn't trying to hide them anymore. Eagerly, he followed them back to the tree. It didn't take long for his sharp eyes to spot the bloodstains on the tree trunk and he followed their progress up through the branches until they were out of sight. "_So, Charlie spent the night in the tree_." he mused and he smiled at the professor's resourcefulness but his smile turned to a frown when he found more of Bashere's tracks beneath the tree. "Damn!" he cursed. The Frenchman had caught up to the professor…or had he? Ian circled the tree and found Bashere's tracks leading toward another oak but no sign of Charlie's. He retraced his steps around the tree and found Charlie's tracks leading in into a denser part of the forest. He glanced up at the area where Bashere had left the trail and it all fell into place.

He clicked on his radio. "Eppes, come in."

"Go ahead Ian."

"You were right, Bashere is still alive and he is closing in on Charlie's position."

"Do you know where Charlie is?" Don asked anxiously.

"I've found fresh tracks, one to two hours old. Where are you?"

"Circling the trail below the escarpment."

"Do you see a grove of old oaks?"

"Hold on."

"Over there." Colby said as he pointed toward them.

"Take us over there." Don told the pilot.

Soon they were hovering over Charlie's tree listening to Ian's explanation via the radio.

"You were right about Bashere and he's closing in. Charlie's tracks lead off in that direction," he said as he pointed to the dense woods. "From your vantage point up there, do you see any reason for him to go that way?"

Don suddenly realized what his brother was planning to do. "Charlie's trying to get to the ridge line. If he can get there he'll be out in the open where we can see him."

"Yeah, that make's sense, but there's a problem. Bashere is tracking him along a parallel trail and will either stop him before he comes out or will grab him when he does. I'm going to follow Bashere's tracks and see if I can overtake him."

"Right, we'll cover these woods all the way to the ridge line and patrol the ridge. Oh, and Ian, keep that radio on." Don added.

"Roger that." Edgerton responded as he trotted back up the path to pick up Bashere's trail.

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Charlie had calculated the most direct route but it wasn't as direct as he had hoped it would be. There were times that he would have to skirt around a deep ravine or avoid a rocky slope. He was an experienced hiker and would normally handle these type of obstacles without any problem but because of his injuries he had to continuously find alternate paths. The stick had proven to be invaluable, by using it as a walking stick he was able to climb steep hills and use it to keep himself from falling when he came down a hill.

After an hour Charlie stopped to take a break. A fine sheen of sweat covered him and he wiped it from his brow as he leaned against the trunk of a downed tree. He took off the jacket and pulled the water bottle out, taking a small sip of the precious liquid. Charlie glanced at his watch, eight o'clock, he had to be getting closer. The helicopter had flown over a number of times but so far he hadn't found any open areas where he could flag it down.

Charlie jammed the water bottle into his jeans pocket and pulled himself to his feet. He leaned on the stick for a moment to balance himself as a wave of dizziness washed over him. His eyes shifted downward to the jacket and he decided to leave it behind. Charlie was too hot to wear it and it was too heavy for him to carry. He pushed onward, telling himself that Don would be there, all he had to do was get to the ridge where he could be seen and his brother would find him. With these thoughts spurring him on, he kept himself moving forward.

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Cursing softly to himself, Bashere hurried ahead to catch another glimpse of the young professor. The terrain had shifted and a gully had opened up, separating him from Charlie. Several times he thought to move in and capture him but obstacles kept getting in his way. He crossed a small knoll and then suddenly realized Charlie's objective. He smiled grimly. "_So that's where we've been going." _He glanced across the gully, Charlie was behind him and moving slow, this could still work in his favor. All he had to do was get out there first, grab the professor and hide when the helicopter came over.

Bashere increased his speed and soon found himself standing in the open. He surveyed the area while he caught his breath and spied a large rock near the edge of the cliff. With an eye on the woods he hurried over and crawled behind it, noting with satisfaction that it would also hide him from view if the helicopter flew over.

The Frenchman's eyes gleamed with excitement as he sat hidden, waiting like a spider for it's prey to step into his web.

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Charlie was panting and stopped to catch his breath as soon as he stepped out onto the rocky ridge. His eyes searched the skies as he eased himself to the ground and pulled the water bottle from his jeans pocket . There was barely enough liquid left for more than a sip, but his parched throat savored the little drop that made it's way down.

"Where is it?" he whispered to himself. "Where are they?" His eyes continuously watched the sky as he strained to hear the welcome sound of the helicopter.

That was when he heard it, he turned his head to the side and listened. The sound was coming from the edge of the precipice ….it was a cry for help. Charlie couldn't ignore it….someone was in trouble…he couldn't turn his back on them.

He pushed himself up and advanced toward the edge of the cliff. Charlie carefully knelt down on the ground near a large boulder and slowly crept to the edge so he could safely see over the side of the cliff. The sight that greeted him caused his eyes to widen in disbelief.

Bashere was hanging over the escarpment, holding on to a rock and calling for help.

"Hang on…I'll go for help." he said forcing the words to come out while he backed away from the edge. He slowly rose to his feet and continued to stare at the ledge.

The young mathematician stood lost in thought and turned his head toward the crash site, his expressive eyes lighting up with hope. He was free, he could run to safety , he didn't have to worry about hiding from Bashere any more.

All Charlie had to do was turn his back on Bashere and just walk away. No one would ever know what happened….no one…no one….except him.

As if on cue, the older man's voice filtered through his musings, pleading and begging for help.

"Professor….please.. I'm sorry ….please don't let me fall!"

Charlie really didn't want to help this man. He told himself that he would be doing the world a huge favor if he just let the man fall. His life would certainly improve if he just walked away, but even as he thought it, he knew that he couldn't do it. That wasn't who he was, and he would never forgive himself if he didn't try to help Bashere, no matter how much he despised the man.

"Professor,… please don't leave. I can't hold on much longer!" The man continued to plead with him for mercy.

Charlie bowed his head and his shoulders sagged… he knew what he had to do. He walked back to the precipice and got down on his knees and leaned over the edge. The waves crashing on the rocks below were a frightening sight and he fought a bout of dizziness as he shifted his eyes to the man below. He looked down at Bashere and swallowed the bile in his throat that he got every time he saw the man.

"I should let you fall!" Charlie hissed at him, but even as he said it, he was laying himself down on the ground. He wrapped his belt around a small boulder near the edge and held tightly to it with his left hand while bracing his feet against the side of another rock. He winced as his side pressed against the ground and gritted his teeth to help himself withstand the pain. Finally, reluctantly, he extended his hand over the side to grip Bashere's. Charlie's hand was hovering over the edge when he suddenly heard the sound that he had been longing to hear. The helicopter was coming, it was going to make another pass over the ridge.

Hope flared in his heart and Charlie looked toward the sound . In that moment of distraction, Bashere grabbed his hand and with a mighty tug, he pulled the young professor over the ledge.

Charlie's scream of terror was lost in the sound of the approaching helicopter.

TBC


	32. Chapter 32

Obsession

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: You guys are so awesome! I truly appreciate each and everyone of your reviews.

Chapter 32:

At eight a.m. Alan, Amita and Larry were still sitting in the booth at the restaurant. Alan refused to go over to the hospital until he knew for sure that Charlie was there. Amita and Larry were content to stay with him as well, none of them wanted to embrace the harsh reality of the hospital until they had too.

More patrons had come in now and the little diner was beginning to become crowded, and even though the three of them hadn't ordered anything for a while, Ben and Paula had told them that they could remain in the booth as long as they wanted to.

The television was still turned on and the sound of the reporter's voice cut through the clatter of dishes and the multitude of voices. Alan glanced over at the TV just in time to see the now familiar "Breaking News Banner" play across the screen.

"This is Michael Whittemore, coming to you live from the La Jolla Cliffs at Point Mugu." The cameraman panned from the reporter to the top of the cliffs and then went to a video feed.

"As you can see only moments ago a Medivac helicopter lifted from the crash site and is at this very moment headed for the Malibu Memorial Hospital." The video ended and Whittemore once again was standing in front of the camera. "Officials have not revealed the identity or condition of the person that is being airlifted from the site. We do know that multiple bodies have been found and that the coroner will be flown in to examine them later this morning. We have been informed that the surviving kidnappers have fled the crash site and that the Point Mugu State Park will remain closed until they are found."

A video feed of the barricaded entrance to the park was aired and several patrol cars with flashing lights could be seen blocking the gates to the park's entrance. The camera panned back to the reporter.

"The fate of young Dr. Eppes is still in question. It is not known if he is one of the victims of the crash or if he managed to escape from his kidnappers and is …….."

"Look up there….it's going to fall!"

A shout from someone in the background interrupted Whittemore and a jumble of excited voices could be heard . The picture quickly changed showing the viewers the tail section of the crashed jet at the top of the escarpment. It was hanging further over the cliff than it had been before and appeared to be inching it's way down the rock face. Suddenly, it broke loose and amid startled cries of the onlookers, it fell with a deafening crash, splintering into pieces as it hit the seawall and the rocks beneath the cliffs.

The reporter's excited voice cut through the sounds of the milling crowd. "The tail section of the Bonneville Lear Jet has broken loose from the precipice and, as you can see, now lies at the bottom of the cliffs. There was no one left inside this section of the plane and fortunately none of the metal fragments made it to the overlook" The live video played over the scattered pieces of the aircraft. "Salvage crews will come in when the FBI forensics teams have cleared the area."

The reporter continued talking but Alan had focused on a distant object in the sky that was approaching the hospital. The small object had turned into the Medivac and it was heading for the rooftop of the Medical center. Paula had seen it too. She rushed over to the booth and patted Alan's shoulder as he stood up to leave.

"Ben and I are praying that your son is going to be all right." she said sympathetically.

"Thanks." was all Alan was able to choke out before he, Amita and Larry rushed out of the door. Alan abruptly stopped and looked in dismay at the news vans that were situated around the emergency room entrance. He felt a hand on his elbow and looked around in surprise.

It was the young police officer. "If you'll get in the car, we'll take you over to the hospital and get you through the crowds."

They quickly climbed in and soon were parked right in front of the emergency room doors. The officer was true to his word and they clambered out of the vehicle and were through the doors without any interference. The waiting room was beginning to fill up with patients and concerned family members, so the officer went to the nurse's station and explained who they were. Apparently Alan had been expected, because a nurse escorted them to a small private room away from the crowd. The officer's partner came in and spoke quietly to him and then they both came over to talk to Alan.

"Mr. Eppes, Lt Walker just called us. Your son is not in the Medivac helicopter, the SWAT team discovered a hiker who was injured. Professor Eppes was not identified as one of the casualties and it is believed that he escaped from the kidnappers and is on the run from the ones that survived." he paused to give them time to absorb his words. "However, Agent Eppes believes that his brother has sustained some injuries from the crash and he will be brought here as soon as they find him. He requested that this information be relayed to you so that you'll have a little understanding of what is going on." he swallowed and then continued. "I'm sorry that I can't tell you more, that's all we know at this point."

Alan nodded slowly. "I appreciate all that you've done, thank you." He turned away and sat down in the nearest chair. The thoughts in his head were whirling around at a dizzying pace. "_Charlie hadn't died in the crash, he was still alive, but he was hurt….but maybe not too serious if he was able to run away." _

Alan met the eyes of his friends and knew the hopeful expressions on their faces mirrored his own. He swallowed and let his lips turn upward in a small smile…there was a chance….a small chance maybe, but he would take it. They could believe now that there was a possibility that Charlie would come back to them.

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"Noooooooooo!"

Charlie screamed as Bashere pulled him over the edge of the cliff. His mind was numb with terror as he fell headlong over the side but his survival instinct kicked in and he immediately began to claw at the rocks as he fell. He had only a brief dizzying glance of the sheer drop below him before he halted his fall and was able to latch onto a rock. Fortunately for him, the protruding rock was large enough for him to grab it and hold onto it with both hands. Terrified of falling to the rocks below, he wrapped both arms around the stone and hung on for dear life.

He glanced up toward the rim to gauge the distance and realized that he had fallen about fifty feet. "_What happened to Bashere, did he fall?" _he thought suddenly, and just as he started to look down, he felt a hand wrap around his ankle. Charlie looked down in surprise, Bashere was standing on a ledge five feet below him. How had he gotten down there? A tug on his leg forced a groan from him and he quickly forgot his question as his dark eyes flashed from fear to anger.

He glared at the Frenchman. "You tried to kill me! Let me go!" he shouted angrily, as he kicked at the man's arm. "Why did you do that? I was trying to help you!"

The Frenchman tugged again, ignoring his question. "No, I wasn't trying to kill you, I just needed to get you down here. Let go Charlie, you won't fall, I'll catch you. I'm standing on a ledge and there is a cave down here. We'll be safe, we can hide until they leave….we can finally be together."

Stunned, Charlie locked eyes with the Frenchman. Bashere was smiling but madness lit up his brown eyes like a flame. The man was totally out of his mind, he had to be, to think that Charlie wanted to be with him. The only truth in what he had said was about the ledge that he was standing on. Not only would it keep him from falling but it also had a partial natural wall that would conceal them from view.

"No!" Charlie shouted again and tried to kick Bashere away from him, but the man refused to let go and grabbed his other foot. He struggled to get his legs free and managed to pull one of them loose because his foot had slipped out of his sneaker. The shoe dropped away and Charlie watched with stunned eyes as it plummeted to the rocks below. Terrified that he was going to be next, he struggled harder to free himself of Bashere's grasp.

"Calm down Charlie….your just upset..…now stop kicking me and let go of that rock!" The Frenchman tugged harder and Charlie's hands inched further down the stone.

"Get away from me….don't touch me!" he shouted back at Bashere. "You tricked me, I thought your were going to fall!"

The sound of the helicopter was getting louder and Charlie anxiously looked upward, toward the rim of the cliff.

"Please, Don, please hurry." he whispered urgently. His arms were beginning to tremble from the strain of holding on and he wasn't sure how much longer he was going to be able to keep Bashere from pulling him down.

"Hurry Charlie….let go!" Bashere yelled up at him. "They're getting closer!"

The Frenchman was getting more desperate , he pulled harder and the mathematician slipped halfway down the rock. He glanced toward the cave, it was perfect,…he had stumbled onto the perfect hiding place. The Fed's would never think to look for them on the side of the rock face, but he had to get Charlie down first so they could get out of sight.

Charlie's strength was failing and he could feel himself sliding further down the rock. He was gripping the rock so tightly now that the stone was cutting into his hands and the blood was beginning to make the rock slippery ; streaks of blood were already starting to run down his arms.

A moan escaped through his clenched teeth as the Frenchman gave a particularly fierce yank on his leg, pulling him closer to the ledge.

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The Black Astar AS350B2 FBI assault helicopter zoomed over the trees once again as it made it's way up the ridge line . It had been in this circling pattern for almost an hour and a half . The pilot would take them along the outer ridge all the way to the crash site, then circle back over the woods and then start all over again.

Don and his team had lost count of how many times they had flown over the ridge. Even though they had been constantly watching the ground below them, they had still found no visible signs of Charlie or Bashere; it was as if the earth had just opened up and swallowed them whole.

"Where can they be?" A frustrated Colby asked for what seemed like the hundredth time.

David added his opinion to the mix. "Charlie should have been here by now unless…." he glanced sideways at Don and his voice took on a softer tone. "Unless Bashere caught up to him before he made it to the ridge."

"Ian's still a mile out and he hasn't caught up with the Frenchman yet." Megan tiredly remarked as she pulled her hair back and wrapped a band around it. "Bashere had at least an hour's lead on him, so he had to have made it to the ridge by now."

Don had remained silent during the exchange, his eyes riveted to a spot on the edge of the cliff. The helicopter passed by the area that he was focused on and his head swiveled back around to keep it in sight.

All eyes turned back toward the precipice, following his lead. "Take us back around." Don ordered the pilot and directed him toward the site that he wanted him to hover over.

Megan moved forward. "Don, do you see something?"

The lead agent shook his head slowly, "I'm not sure…for a moment there I could have sworn that I saw Charlie….but it was just a glimpse….there on the edge." his voice trailed away as he pointed out the location on the precipice.

He turned quickly to the pilot and said brusquely. "Take us out over the cliffs."

With a nod of his head, Martinez steered the helicopter over the rim of the escarpment and hovered over the edge.

Four pair's of fearful eyes immediately drifted downward , expecting to see the young mathematician's broken body lying on the rocks below. Relief was short-lived however, for only a minute later their eyes widened in alarm at the scene that was unfolding on the rock face before them.

Megan clasped her hands over her mouth. "Oh, my God!"

"Oh, man." Colby muttered

"I don't believe this." David shook his head in disbelief.

Don's binoculars dropped from his nerveless fingers and everything seemed to happen in slow motion as he rose from his seat and leaned over the pilot's shoulder to get a closer look. White-knuckled, he gripped the back of Martinez's seat as he stared, speechless as the scene before him.

"Oh, God." he whispered, as he covered his mouth with his hand.

Charlie was holding on to a protruding rock about fifty feet below the rim. His arms were stretched over his head as he held onto the rock, but he was being pulled downward toward a walled ledge. Bashere's arms were visible as he pulled on Charlie's legs but the rest of him was hidden behind spiraling rock formations that created a wall around the ledge.

Charlie was losing his fight, it wouldn't be long before Bashere had him down on the ledge or worse, sent him plunging to the rocks below.

Real time returned and Don turned to the pilot. "Turn us at an angle so we can get a shot at this guy….hurry!"

Martinez piloted the aircraft around at different angles but Bashere was hidden from view by the wall.

"Dammit!" Don cursed heatedly. "Take us down…hurry!"

Without hesitation, Maritinez maneuvered the helicopter back to the cliff top and sat it down near the rim.

Don jumped from the chopper before it made contact with the ground.. He took off at a run for the precipice with the other agents close behind him.

The pilot jumped out after them and grabbed David before he left the side of the chopper.

"Wait, I have a rope and a rescue harness….just hold on a minute." he opened a storage hatch and pulled out the article. "Here, I'll tie one end of the rope to the base of the chopper."

David clapped him on the back and grabbed the gear. "Thanks man." he managed to call out over his shoulder as he ran to join the other agents at the edge of the cliff..

Don was laying on the ground with his head and torso leaning over the edge while both Colby and Megan were holding onto him.

"Hang on Charlie…..I'm coming….just hang on!" the agent yelled, his own eyes reflecting the same terror that he saw in his brother's eyes.

"Don…..hurry!" Charlie shouted back.

"Go away!" Bashere angrily yelled up at the agent. "Leave us alone!"

"Don! Wait…put this on." David called out as he grabbed the SAC by the shoulders and pulled him back from the edge.

While David and Colby helped Don step into the harness and adjusted and tightened the straps for him, Megan leaned over the edge frantically encouraging Charlie to hang on but as Don dropped to his knees to edge his way over, she grabbed his arm. Her eyes were wide and fearful. "Don, listen to me, you can't get Bashere agitated….you have to keep him calm until we can get in a position to take him out."

"I get that Megan." he responded impatiently. "Just hurry. Charlie can't hold on much longer.'

Don dropped to his knees and edged his way toward the end of the cliff. David, Colby and Martinez grabbed the rope and guided him over the edge.

"Okay Don, ease over the edge slowly…we've got the other end of the rope attached to the chopper."

Don closed his eyes momentarily to offset the dizziness that hit him as soon as he was over the side. The sheer drop was frightening so he forced himself to focus on repelling down to his brother's position. He tried not to look at the rocks below him as he jumped his way down the rock face. The agent forced himself to remain calm and he took a deep breath as his body slid further down the cliffs.

David, Colby and Martinez controlled Don's descent, slowly letting the rope glide between their gloved fingers while Megan kept an eye on the SAC as he worked his way down to Charlie. Bashere worried her, his movements were becoming erratic and he was growing more and more agitated as Don got closer to Charlie.

"Ian." She anxiously called to the agent. " How close are you to the ridge?"

Edgerton's breathless voice returned. "Maybe another fifteen minutes."

"You better hurry, we may not have that long." she quickly retorted.

"Roger that. Out."

Don looked back up at Megan. "I need more slack….hurry!" he shouted and then glanced downward toward his brother.

"I'm coming Charlie. Just hold on."

Finally, his feet touched the rock face near the top of the stone that Charlie was holding onto. As he worked his way past the rock he could see the blood smeared on the stone and he narrowed his eyes worriedly as he got closer to Charlie. Slowly he inched his way down until he was hanging alongside of his brother. Charlie was being pulled at an angle toward the walled ledge. Bashere had him by one leg and was attempting to get him over to the ledge.

Bracing his feet against the rock face, Don eased himself over to his brother's side and hurriedly wrapped his arms around his brothers chest. Despite the dire situation, the solid contact with Charlie gave Don an overwhelming sense of relief. At long last, he had found his brother and Charlie was alive. He could feel him breathing and that little bubble of hope in his heart burst this time from sheer joy. Don closed his eyes and let his forehead rest momentarily against the back of his brother's head, overcome by his emotions.

Charlie had only looked up once since Don had started his way down. It had been necessary to focus all of his attention on trying to hold on, so he was startled when Don's arms wrapped around him. But when the familiar voice whispered in his ear, it touched his soul.

"I knew you would come." he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

"I've got you bro, you can let go now." Don said in his brother's ear.

"I' should have killed you!" Bashere's hissed loudly.

They both looked down just as the man was raising his gun toward Don. Charlie reacted first and kicked out with his foot sending the gun skittering along the ledge. But this gave the Frenchman the opportunity to grab his other leg and with a forceful jerk he broke Charlie's hold on the rock and pulled the young man forward.

The sudden shift in weight forced the rope to drop lower and elicited yells from both brothers. Don quickly braced his feet on the bottom of the ledge as they came to a stop. They were now on eye level with the Frenchman with Charlie hanging suspended between his brother and Bashere.

Yells from above echoed down as the agents and the pilot grappled with the additional burden of Charlie's and Bashere's added weight.

Charlie groaned and leaned his head back against his brother's chest. "Don….there's too much weight…the rope will break."

The agent looked over his brother's head at Bashere and his hatred for the man threatened to consume him, but he clenched his teeth and said. " Let him go …..and I'll come back for you, the rope won't hold all three of us."

The man returned his look, his eyes were cold and he wore a blank expression on his face, no emotion of any kind showing on his features as he tightened his grip on Charlie's legs, still struggling to pull Charlie over the ledge.

Don didn't understand how the man could be so calm, a normal person would be terrified of falling to his death but not this guy, he seemed more angry than frightened.

"Didn't you hear me?" Don tried again. "Let go of him and I'll come back for you."

Bashere still didn't answer but just continued to try and pull the young man over to him.

"You shouldn't be here Don…. you could fall." Charlie said worriedly, interrupting Don's efforts to communicate with the Frenchman. "I'm sorry, this is all my fault."

"I've got a rope remember, your the one that could fall; and this isn't your fault, it's his." Don nodded his head in Bashere's direction, even though Charlie couldn't see him.

"No, you don't understand. I tried to help him up…and he pulled me over." he gasped out with a groan, as the Frenchman continued to pull his legs.

Despite the desperate situation, Don's expression changed to one of puzzlement. "What?" He looked over in disbelief at the older man. "Why….why would you do something like that?" he asked.

Bashere's voice was cold and menacing as he answered the agent.

"Tell me, do you remember an old Aesop fable called "The Scorpion and the Frog?" he asked.

"This isn't exactly the time to tell fairy tales!" Don snapped.

Megan's anxious voice sounded urgently over the radio and he turned his head to the side so Bashere couldn't hear what she was saying. "No, Don,…. keep him talking…if you cut him off, he might turn violent."

Don glanced sideways at Bashere, he was still holding onto Charlie, an unreadable expression on his face. He tightened his hold on his brother and nodded to the Frenchman. "I changed my mind, go ahead, finish your story."

"The story is about a scorpion asking a frog to carry him across a river but the frog is afraid of being stung. The scorpion convinces him that he wouldn't sting him because that would mean that he would drown as well." Bashere paused and adjusted his hold on Charlie which prompted another groan from the younger man. "Well, halfway across the river the scorpion stings him, dooming the two of them. When asked why, the scorpion replied, "I'm a scorpion; it's my nature."

Don stared at the man in amazement and then he retorted grimly. "Your right about one thing Bashere. You are like that scorpion."

His gaze drifted to the back of his brother's head. In spite of everything that the man had done to him, Charlie had still tried to save him, but that was his brother's nature. Don tightened his hold on the younger man and glanced back at Bashere only to find him returning the gaze. For a moment he was mesmerized by the man's eyes. He knew he was looking into the eyes of pure evil and he felt a shudder course through his body. Charlie had once told him that this man had no soul and looking at him now, Don truly believed it.

Charlie saw the malevolent look that Bashere was giving his brother and he felt Don shudder. Seeking to draw the man's attention from Don he said. "No….that's not true, not really. Is it Henri?"

The Frenchman shifted his gaze from the agent and stared deeply into Charlie's expressive brown eyes. "What do you mean?" he asked suspiciously.

"You said you pulled me down here so that we could be together, so that we could hide in the cave. You said we would be safe there. Remember?" Charlie spoke softly, hoping to keep the Frenchman calm. "Your not like that scorpion Henri."

Bashere's head tilted slightly and he stared at the young man. His eyes actually appeared to soften and his expression had changed to one of adoration.

"I just wanted us to be together Charlie." he answered in a tone of voice that sounded almost 'child-like. ' I just want to take care of you."

"I know that now, Henri, but this isn't the way to do it." The young man paused to catch his breath. "You have to let me go." Charlie forced his voice to stay soft. "My wound has become infected and I need to see a doctor. After that we can work on our plans to be together." The quiver in his voice belied the calmness that he was trying to present to Bashere. The pain in his side was getting stronger, exacerbated by being constantly pulled back and forth between Don and the Frenchman. Charlie was starting to feel like a human rope in some macabre 'tug of war' game.

"Really?" The Frenchman asked, a look of hope crossing his features while his hold on Charlie's legs relaxed slightly. "You mean that, we'll be together?" he asked tentatively.

"Yes, I do Henri.." Charlie lied to him. " After I've seen the doctor we'll go wherever you want to go."

"Bashere's eyes gleamed with uncertainly and seeking assurances he asked. " Promise Charlie…..promise me that we'll always be together."

Charlie leaned his head back against Don's chest and closed his eyes. They fluttered open again and he met the Frenchman's eager stare. "I promise…..now can we go up?'

Bashere stood lost in thought studying Charlie, as if seeing him for the first time. One hand lifted from the young man's leg as he pointed toward his shirt. "Your bleeding again."

Charlie just nodded weakly and spoke to the madman as if he were a child. "I know Henri, that is why I need to see a doctor." he swallowed, trying to find some moisture for his dry throat. "Remember?'

Subdued, the Frenchman lowered his gaze and nodded his head slowly. He released his hold on Charlie's leg but left his hand lightly resting on top of his knee.

Don didn't waste anytime, when he felt Bashere's hold loosen he looked up at Megan and gave her the signal to pull them up.

"Take us up." He said and then spoke quietly in his brother's ear. "We're getting out of here Charlie and he won't be able to hurt you anymore."

Bashere watched as the rope began to pull Charlie away from him. But as Charlie's leg started to slide from his grasp, his demeanor changed and before Charlie was completely out of his reach, Bashere did what Megan had warned all along he would do. Suddenly, without warning, he struck quickly and viciously.

As the rope started to pull upward, the young professor suddenly jerked violently in his brother's arms and let out an agonizing scream. He thrashed around in obvious pain, panting. "Get it out….Don….get it out!" Charlie stretched his arms out trying to reach his leg but his brother's arms were preventing him from bending.

"Charlie! Charlie stop or we'll both fall!" Don cried out desperately.

It was taking all of Don's strength just to hold onto Charlie and Bashere was making it worse by continuing to pull his brother over toward the ledge. At Don's words though, Charlie stopped struggling but he moaned softly as he forced himself to remain still.

Now that Charlie had stopped moving, Don was able to look over his brother's head and his eyes widened with horror when he saw the hilt of a knife sticking out of Charlie's thigh.

In a furious rage Don confronted Bashere. "You son of a bitch! What the hell did you do that for?"

The older man looked at him with his cold eyes and said. "Let us go….we are going to die together."

"I'll let you go….but my brother is not going to die here today!

"If the rope goes up any further I will pull this knife out and he will bleed out before you can pull him up. I made sure I put it in the Femoral artery." he paused and then added. "It's our destiny to die together, now let me have him!"

"It might be your destiny to die on these cliffs today … but it's not his!"

Don knew that the man was right about the placement of the knife and he also knew that he had to do something fast or his brother wouldn't survive the day. Charlie was breathing rapidly now and moaning softly from the pain.

Panic-stricken he looked up and yelled, "Stop!" and then turned his head so Bashere couldn't see his face as he spoke quietly into his radio.

"Did you guys hear all of that?" he asked frantically.

"Roger that, Don." Megan anxious voice responded.

Don was desperate. "Does anyone have a clear shot at him.? I can't let go of Charlie to get to my gun and if Bashere removes the knife Charlie will bleed out before I can get him up there."

David's voice came low over the radio. "I can't get a clean shot at him, there's a lip of rock blocking him from view."

"Same here, Don" Colby responded grimly.

Don cursed to himself, he had to think quickly, Charlie was already losing blood. He couldn't release him so he couldn't use his hands and Basheres's hand was too close to the knife for him to try and kick it away.

Suddenly a familiar voice sounded in his ear.

"I've got a shot…it's not a kill shot, but it should be enough to distract him and give you time to get Charlie out of the way."

Surprised, Don's head came up….. they just might have a chance after all. "If his hand even moves toward that knife when I give the signal, take him." Don said quietly.

"My pleasure." the voice responded.

"Don." Megan called over the radio. "Martinez is going to bring you up with the helicopter, it'll be a lot faster. Prepare to move as soon as Ian takes his shot."

He turned his head and stared at Bashere as he gave the command.

"Take us up!" he shouted to the agents on the cliff.

Bashere's face broke into a snarl and he reached for the handle of the knife but before he could touch it, a shot rang out and he jerked his arm back convulsively, releasing his hold on the young man. He staggered backwards on the ledge and stumbled to his knees. He screamed at Don as he scrabbled around the ledge looking for his gun. He found it near the cave opening and jumped inside before the sniper could get off another shot.

Don saw the results before he heard the shot that echoed off of the cliff walls and a part of him was disappointed that Bashere was still alive, but he didn't have time to reflect on it now, he had to get Charlie to the hospital.

"Hurry, get us out of here." he shouted.

Finally, they were moving upward but it still wasn't fast enough for him. Worried about his brother, he started talking to him.

"Charlie, it's over now. We'll be up soon and I'll get you to a hospital."

"Okay…Don…it's …'kay." His brother mumbled, barely audible. The pain was disappearing now and Charlie felt almost euphoric. He was flying and he could feel the breeze on his face. "Knock….knock….knoc..ing….on…heav's … dor'." he sang to himself.

"Charlie…Buddy…..what did you say?"

But his brother had gone limp in his arms. Don knew what was happening, Charlie was going into shock, he was barely conscious now and too weak to respond.

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Bashere cried out in frustration as he stumbled through the cave. He was using the flame from his lighter to find his way through the cavern. Eppes had done it again, all of his planning and now Charlie had been taken from him once again. Next time he would be smarter, he'd do things differently.

He stumbled into another cavern and smiled smugly when he saw a distant light. Daylight, he knew he would find his way out. He was so proud of himself that he didn't hear the first growl. His grin faded as the second one resonated around the cave.

P-1 rose up on stiffened legs. His fight with the younger lion had left him injured and sore but that wasn't going to stop him when an intruder was in his cave.

Bashere's dark brown eyes widened as he stared into the yellow eyes of P-1.

TBC


	33. Chapter 33

Title: Obsession

Disclaimer: See Prologue:

A/N: Please keep in mind that "Obsession: is a fictional story and that my medical issues should not be taken as fact but are intended to further the entertainment of this story.

As always, I appreciate your reviews.

Chapter 33:

It took only a few seconds for the helicopter to lift them up and over the crest of the cliff, but to Don it seemed like it was an eternity. Every second counted and time was his enemy now; with each precious second that was lost, Charlie was slipping away.

Megan directed the helicopter as it hovered over the plateau and halted Martinez 's descent while the brothers were still dangling six feet off of the ground. David and Colby gently took Charlie from Don's arms before his legs could come into contact with the surface. It was imperative that they keep the young man's legs from bending and dislodging the knife.

Megan hurried in to help Don out of the harness, and as soon as he was free, he rushed over to Charlie's side.

"No one touches that knife….he'll bleed out if we pull it out!" Don cried out frantically. "Somehow we have to keep it from moving." It was an unnecessary statement, and Don knew it, but in his agitated state he couldn't keep himself from saying it.

Don skidded to the ground by his brother's side and stretched out a trembling hand to push a few curls back from his forehead and for the first time since the kidnapping, Don and Charlie locked eyes. Don caught his breath, so relieved to see Charlie return his gaze, that he was momentarily speechless. Charlie was weak and he was going into shock but he spoke up first.

"My luck…ran….out….al…most…made…it." His voice was barely louder than a whisper but he continued on. "What...hap..pn'd...why...did...he...stab...me?" Charlie's eyebrows knitted together in pain and puzzlement as he looked up at Don.

"I don't know Buddy, the man is crazy...and Charlie don't t give up yet, we're going to get you the hospital." Don grasped his hand and squeezed it, but immediately regretted it when Charlie winced. Don turned his hand palm upward, discovering the cuts from the stone and then he remembered the blood on the rock that Charlie had been clinging too. "I'm sorry, didn't mean to hurt you." he gently picked up Charlie's other hand. " I'll find something to wrap your hands with."

"S'okay….I….don't think…" his voice trailed off suddenly and he gasped out in pain. Abruptly, he pushed himself up on one elbow and tried to reach the knife with his other hand.

Colby and David were busy tying a tourniquet around the mathematician's leg to try and stem the flow of blood and although they were doing their best to be gentle, Charlie still felt a great deal of pain from the process. Any movement around the knife sent sharp stabbing pains through his leg.

Don scooted behind his brother and gently, but firmly, pulled him back until his head was lying in his lap and quickly grabbed him by the wrists. He held Charlie's arms crossed over his chest to ensure that he couldn't reach the hilt of the knife.

"Pull…it….out…Donnie…please….hurt!." Charlie cried out, pain etched across his features..

Charlie's pain-filled eyes nearly broke his heart, but Don knew they couldn't take it out yet. His brother's struggles against him were beginning to weaken so he took a moment to check out the agent's progress. They were almost finished now , Colby's jacket had been cut into strips and they had padded the area around the knife to keep it from moving.

Don's eyebrows knitted together in concern when he looked back at Charlie. It was almost as if the color was draining from his face while he watched. Swallowing hard, he squeezed his brother's shoulder and said. "I know it hurts Charlie, but we need to stop the bleeding. I'm sorry we can't take it out." he said miserably. "We'll get you to the hospital and the doctor's will have to do that... you know that , right?"

Charlie swallowed and nodded. "I…know. sor..ry. it…just…hurt…so…bad."

"It's okay Buddy, I would have done the same thing." Don said as he released his brothers arms.

"Thir.s.ty...need...wa..ter." the young man whispered.

David stood up and glanced around the cliff for Don's jacket and without being asked, he rushed over to retrieve it. He pulled a bottle of water from Don's jacket pocket as he approached them and quietly handed it to the SAC.

"Thanks." Don said as he opened it. Gently lifting his brother's head he poured a drop of the liquid into Charlie's mouth. The young man drank it hungrily and brought his hand up to take the bottle, eagerly looking for more. But Don stopped him. "Sorry Buddy, I can't give you anymore."

Charlie looked up at him and let his hand fall listlessly to his side. "I..know, it...was...good."

The curls had once again fallen into his brother's eyes and with a gentle hand, Don pushed them back just as Megan came running up with a first aid kit. She knew there was one on board the chopper and had waited for Martinez to land so that she could get it.

She dropped to her knees beside of Charlie and quickly opened the kit, handing out gauze and bandages. David and Colby immediately started wrapping the gauze around the knife wound and Megan carefully lifted up Charlie's shirt to look at the cut on his abdomen. She let out a hiss and Don looked over.

In an unsteady voice she said. "I'm not going to remove his bandage, I'll just reinforce it a little with some more gauze. It's barely bleeding now anyway."

"He needs some on his hands too." Don added without looking up, continuing to hold Charlie's gaze.

"Guess…..I…..sprung.. a….few….leaks, huh?" Charlie said, surprising everyone with his attempt to lighten the mood.

Don's eyes widened in surprise at Charlie's jest and the corner of his lips lifted in a slight smile; it faded quickly however, when his brother's eyelids began to flutter, as if they were suddenly too heavy to keep open.

"Yeah, you might say that bro, but we are going to plug up the holes." Don answered as he noted in dismay how quickly the gauze became saturated in his brother's blood.

He met Megan's eyes and swallowed. "I….I think he just nicked the artery but it won't stop bleeding."

They were doing everything they could think of to stop the bleeding but all they had managed to do was slow it down a little.

Don put two fingers to his brother's neck and almost panicked when he could barely find a pulse. "Where's the Medivac? Shouldn't it be here by now!"

As if reading his mind, Colby spoke up as he closed his phone. "Don, the Medivac hasn't returned yet. They said it's going to take them at least another twenty minutes before they can take off."

Don's eyes drifted downward and with a stricken look on his face he said in a hoarse whisper.

"He won't last another twenty minutes... he's not going to make it! We've got to get him to the hospital ourselves." and then in a much louder voice he yelled at the pilot. "Get that chopper started. We have to hurry!"

An uncontrollable fear settled around him and he immediately moved to lift up his brother. "Help me get him to the chopper. I'll need at least one of you to help me hold his leg straight and keep that knife from moving."

"One of us." David repeated in surprise. "Hell, there's room for all of us, and it will probably take all of us to make sure that knife doesn't move around."

Don didn't waste any time arguing the point; as one they lifted the semi-conscious man and carried him to the waiting helicopter. Don and Colby held him on his left side and then bent over, stepping backwards in order to back into the helicopter. Meanwhile, Megan and David had a steady hold on Charlie's right side. Don sat down first and had the others lower Charlie to his lap. He pulled his brother back against his chest until his head was resting just below his chin.

"Careful." Don cried out frantically. "Watch his leg…don't touch the knife!"

They stretched Charlie's legs out until his feet were resting on Colby's knees. Megan and David took turns supporting his leg so it would stay straight.

Megan reached for Charlie's wrist to check his pulse and winced at how cold his skin was. "He's cold, we need to cover him." She hurriedly pulled off her jacket and draped it over her young friends chest while David covered Charlie's legs with his.

Don spotted Edgerton and waved him over. "Did you get him?"

The sniper shook his head solemnly. "No, the bastard ran into the cave. But don't worry, as soon as SWAT arrives to back me up, we are going in to get him. He won't escape this time." His eyes drifted sadly to the young man lying between them. "You just worry about him, I'll take care of things here."

Don just nodded and called to Martinez. "Let's go!"

Edgerton slid the door closed and stepped back as the helicopter rose into the air and left on it's mission of mercy. Ian's stare followed the chopper as he adjusted his rifle over his shoulder. When the helicopter was lost from view, his head swiveled back to the precipice. Cautiously, he walked back to the area that he had taken his shot from. It offered the best view of the ledge and that wasn't saying very much. He squated down and pulled out his pocket binoculars and studied the cave opening. No movement and the ledge was still empty, Bashere was still inside the cave.

"_Good" _he thought. "_The man was going to pay for what he had done to Charlie, this time he wasn't going to get away." _

The crackle of his radio interrupted his dark thoughts. "Ridge 2 to Ridge 1. Come in. Over."

"Ridge 1. Over." Edgerton answered. "What's your ETA?'

"Forty-five minutes. We had to go back to base to collect the equipment that you wanted. What's your status? Over."

"Situation secure at the moment, the rat is in a hole. Ridge 1 out." Edgerton responded.

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In silence Don and his team watched the cliffs of La Jolla and it's horrors vanish behind them and prayed that the helicopter would make it to the hospital in time.

"Hey Charlie?" His brother hadn't said anything for several minutes, and Don's anxiety level went up a notch. "Charlie?" he tried again.

Finally, Charlie whispered. "Tir'd, Don, too…tir'd ."

"I know your tired buddy, but I need you to stay awake, talk to me, okay?" Don pleaded with him.

"Can't…do….this…any..mor." Charlie tried to answer but he closed his eyes as his head lolled slowly to the side.

Time was running out for his brother, Charlie had lost too much blood and was going into shock and all Don could do was try and keep him warm. The jackets they had covered him with were doing very little to warm him up so Don pulled Charlie closer to him, hoping that his body heat would somehow make a difference.

The top of Charlie's head was resting just below Don's chin so he bent his head and rested it against his brother's. He closed his eyes and a memory flitted across his mind. A memory shared with the young man in his arms and he buried his face in his brother's curls. He raised his head after a moment and with unshed tears in his eyes he gazed into the concerned eyes of his fellow agents…no, that was wrong….his friends.

"He used to crawl up and sit on my lap when he was four and fall asleep in my arms." Don glanced down at the dark head on his chest. "He had a full head of curls then too." he cleared his throat and after a moment he began to speak again.

"I use to pretend that it bothered me." he said, as a sad smile appeared on his face. "You know…the whole big brother thing." he paused to swallow,." but I really didn't mind, sometimes I fell asleep too."

No one spoke, they didn't want to interrupt him, they were lost in the visions that his words were creating.

"When he was awake he would constantly chatter about numbers and sometimes I couldn't wait for him to fall asleep….just so he would be quiet." his voice choked up and once again he buried his face in his brother's curls.

The agent started speaking again, his voice muffled by the curls. "I'd give anything right now just to hear him talk about one of his equations."

Don wrapped his arms even tighter around his brother, as if that act could keep him from drifting away and bent his head until he could whisper into Charlie's ear.

"Hey Chuck….come on bro….tell me about the golden ratio." he pleaded desperately.

The only sound that broke the silence was a muffled sob from the older man and the constant humming of the revolving helicopter blades.

He didn't care if his friends saw the tears sliding down his face, only one thing mattered to him right now and that was making sure that his brother's chest continued to rise and fall.

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This was a Don Eppes they had only seen once before, no longer the tough F.B.I agent but a man afraid of losing his younger brother and it was ironic, that in both instances, the situations had been caused by the same man.

Megan wiped at her eyes and shared a distressed look with her fellow agents. Colby didn't seem to be aware of the tear that was sliding down his cheek as he maintained his hold on Charlie's feet. Completely lost in Don's story, David bent his head to his arm so he could wipe the tears away, unwilling to let go of Charlie for even a moment.

The mental image of a nine year old Don Eppes holding a four year old Charlie was so vivid in her mind that it took a few seconds for the present day Eppes men to come back into focus. Megan shook her head and after several tries, she found her voice and called out to the pilot.

"How much longer?"

"Five more minutes. The trauma team is already waiting for us." Martinez called back.

Her gaze fell upon her young friend. His breathing was becoming shallow and his skin had turned so pale that it seemed almost transparent. She swallowed to hold back her own sobs, it was going to be close, if it already wasn't too late.

The helicopter started it's descent and soon they were landing on the roof of the hospital. As soon as the helicopter touched down, Megan slid the door open and climbed out to give the trauma team room to work. David and Colby soon joined her as the team took Charlie from them and placed him on a gurney.

The ER doctor and the two nurse's were already monitoring Charlie's life signs , moving him away faster than the agents could keep up with them. All but Don, who had somehow managed to stay right with his brother despite a few protests from the doctor. However, as soon as the ER doctor realized that Don had information that they would need, he was allowed to go along with them.

Megan, Colby and David lost them as the special trauma elevator door closed . Numbly, they turned and made their own way down to the Emergency Room Waiting area.

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Alan and Larry were pacing again while Amita sat staring at a picture in her hand.

Alan couldn't sit still though, he paced from one end of the hallway to the other, past the elevators and the closed emergency room doors and then back again. "_They're both okay, they're both alive…. they have to be….. I can't lose them." _He kept muttering it over and over, until it was the only thing that was holding him together.

A security guard suddenly appeared and hurried over to speak to Alan. He had been talking to Alan earlier when the news was received of an incoming chopper. The guard had left promising to return with information for him.

"Mr. Eppes, all we know so far is that an injured man just arrived from the crash site. His identity has not been confirmed but he arrived in a SWAT helicopter, not the Medivac, and he was accompanied by several FBI agents." He patted the older man on the shoulder. " It may not even be your son but within a few minutes they should be coming down in the trauma elevator, that's the large one on the right." He said pointing to the one closest to the emergency room. "I'm sorry that's all I was able to find out. I better get back to my station." he said and hurried away.

"Thank you." Alan called after him. He shared a worried glance with his companions and with a audible sigh he found a chair that faced the elevators. Larry and Amita quietly followed his lead and sat down next to him.

Another ten minutes went by before one of the elevator's opened, but it wasn't the one they were expecting. Three exhausted and blood covered FBI agents walked slowly out of them and were surprised to see Alan and the others already there. They had been trying to decide who was going to make the call once they had arrived in the emergency room.

"What…what happened?' Amita asked , visibly shaken by their appearance.

"Dear lord, Megan!" Larry rushed to her side and steered her toward a chair. "What happened up there?"

Alan slowly stood up, turning a ghostly white and with a shaking hand, he covered his mouth as he stared at the three agents. The fact that Don's team was here, covered in blood, couldn't be good. He was afraid to ask, but he had to know. "Which one?" he whispered in a voice full of anguish and fear.

David Sinclair stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Maybe you should sit down Alan."

"No, tell me now." Alan responded in a quavering voice.

"Alan….it's Charlie….he's…..it's bad. " he squeezed the elderly man's shoulder as he spoke. "Don was with him….." he stopped and looked around as a puzzled expression crossed his face. "Why didn't Don tell you? Where is Don?"

"What do you mean?" Larry asked. "Didn't he arrive with you?"

Colby spoke up. "Yeah, he did, but he rode in the elevator with Charlie. Don should already be here, he came down with Charlie, with the trauma team." He glanced around worriedly.

"They haven't brought Charlie down, No one has come down." Amita said hurriedly, her voice close to becoming hysterical. She grabbed David's arm. "Where is he, what's happened to him?"

David shook his head. "I don't know, they should have been here before us, they took him right to the elevator. Did they get off at another floor?"

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Malibu Memorial Hospital was a cutting edge facility and had a number of wealthy benefactors that often provided the hospital with millions in donations. So much, in fact, that they were able to install an elevator built specifically for trauma patients. Locked closets inside the elevator housed medical supplies that might be needed to ensure that a patient lived long enough to make it to the emergency room and it was large enough to give an attending physician room to perform emergency procedures if necessary.

"BP 50 over 40 and dropping. Pulse 160. Respiration's are shallow." One of the nurse's intoned as she continuously checked the young man's vital signs.

Dr. Hendricks suddenly stretched out his hand and pressed the stop button on the elevator panel. "He's not going to make it…he's losing too much blood. I've got to put a clamp on this now. Agent Eppes I need your help." The doctor spoke again with a sharper edge to his voice. "Agent Eppes!"

Don looked up and hurried over to the doctor's side. They had removed all of the bandages now and the sight of the knife turned his stomach but he forced himself to remain strong and asked. "What do you want me to do?"

"I have to clamp this now. I need you to pull the knife out, the nurse's will handle the blood flow."

One of the nurse's handed him a pair of gloves and Don hurriedly put them on .He grasped the hilt of the knife as he glanced back to look at Charlie but his brother remained mercifully unconscious.

" Ready, go!"

Don pulled the knife upward with one swift pull and a nurse held out a plastic bag that he quickly dropped it into, then he stepped backwards toward his brother's head to get out of the doctor's way. As soon as the knife cleared his brother's leg, one of the nurse's suctioned the blood flow and the doctor inserted a clamp. It only took a few seconds but it felt like hours. The blood flow had ceased but the doctor was still unhappy.

Don had removed the gloves and was gently stroking his brother's hair, whispering to him that it was going to be all right. He knew that Charlie couldn't hear him, but Don needed the physical contact to maintain his own emotional control.

"BP is still dropping." the nurse said as she checked Charlie's blood pressure again and then in a more urgent voice. "He's in fibb! Sir, step back from the table!"

Anxiously, Don stepped back and desperately called out. "No, Charlie! Don't do this!" He eyes drifted to his brother's pale and lifeless face as he heard the defibrilator charging up.

"The paddles, quick!" the physician yelled as he cut the young man's tee shirt up the middle and peeled each half to the side. He quickly placed the pads on Charlie's chest.

"CLEAR!"

Don's body jerked in response to the sound as Charlie's body reacted to the jolt. He swallowed thickly and placed a hand on his brother's head. "Come on Charlie, come on." he whispered urgently.

"We've got rhythm." the nurse announced.

Dr. Hendricks shook his head sadly. "It's not enough, he's lost too much blood. He needs a transfusion now, he'll never make it to the ER."

Without hesitation Don came forward. "We've got the same blood type, take mine." He said and held out his arm.

"Doctor, there are forms that have to be fille…."

"Damn the forms!" Don yelled, interrupting the nurse. "He's my brother! Do it!" His brown eyes softened as he looked at them. "Please, I'll sign your forms later, just hurry."

The doctor nodded. "Do it!" he instructed the nurse. "He doesn't have much time left."

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Anxious eyes turned toward the elevator door that had still not opened.

"None of the floors are lit." Megan stood up. " Is it stopped between floors?' She walked quickly to the nurse's desk, automatically pulling out her ID, although it wasn't necessary, she was still wearing her tactical gear with the FBI logo emblazoned on the front of her vest.

"Megan Reeves, FBI. Where's the injured man that came in with the helicopter?"

The nurse wasn't intimated by the pretty agent but she was getting concerned herself because the trauma team hadn't arrived yet. "We are trying to find that out for ourselves, Agent."

She pointed to the ER doors where two male nurses were waiting . " The patient should have been in the ER at least fifteen minutes ago. The elevator was stopped from the inside and this only happens when the attending physician needs to perform an emergency procedure to save the patient."

Her desk phone rang and she turned to answer it speaking only briefly before hanging up. "Excuse me." she added as she ran over to converse with the two men standing by the door.

After giving them instructions she rushed over to stand in front of the elevator. Almost immediately the two male nurses joined her pushing a gurney in front of them.

Alan stood up on shaky legs and all turned toward the elevator. "Why do they need two gurney's?"

The lights above the elevator began to move and abruptly the door sprang open in a flurry of activity. Charlie was wheeled out on a gurney with the doctor carefully holding an intravenous needle to the unconscious man's arm. Don was standing with his right arm looped around the shoulders of a nurse, while another nurse held an intravenous needle to his left arm. The agent's face was pale and it looked as if he was going to pass out so the medical team immediately placed him on the second gurney. They kept the two gurneys side by side, the brother's arms still connected intravenously, as they were rushed into the emergency room.

"Donnie! Charlie! " Alan called out desperately as he tried to run toward the doors but David and Colby grabbed him by the arms and held him back. "You can't go in there Alan, you have to wait." David said sadly.

"Charlie!" Amita sobbed, as Larry put an arm around her shoulders.

The nurse reappeared and tried to calm the older man. "Please sir, you have to remain calm. The doctor will be with you just as soon as he has your son stabilized." She started to turn away but he grabbed her by the elbow.

"Please, I need to see both of my sons." he pleaded. " What happened to Don?"

"Don, he's the agent?" she asked. When Alan nodded, she placed a hand on his forearm. "He's going to be fine, he's just a little weak from giving blood to his brother." She hesitated a minute and then. "Stay here for a moment, if they've put him in a cubicle I can let you sit with him."

The others had gathered around him by the time the nurse returned. "I can let Mr. Eppes come in and sit with his son but I'm sorry, the rest of you will have to remain out here." The nurse's eyes were full of compassion for them but her voice was firm.

Amita pushed forward, tears on her cheeks. "Please, please, I need to see Charlie." she pleaded desperately.

Alan gently put an arm around her shoulders. "She is Charlie's fiance." he said quietly.

"I'm sorry, but the doctor's are still with him." Pointing toward the door she added. "Mr. Eppes if you will come with me, I'll take you to your son."

Alan turned to follow. "I'll let you know as soon as I hear anything." And then suddenly, he was gone, disappearing behind the doors along with his sons.

Larry put an arm around a sobbing Amita and lead her back to the chairs. They sat down and the other's followed. Megan took a seat on the other side of Larry and feeling the need for comfort herself, her hand closed around his.

Colby sat down heavily in one of the chairs and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. With his face in his hands he stared silently at the floor between his shoes.

David sighed audibly and closed his eyes as he leaned his head back against the wall but opened them immediately at the sound of Amita's voice.

Suddenly, Amita reached across Larry and grabbed Megan's hand. "What happened up there? Why did Don have to give him a transfusion?"

Larry looked a Megan with pain-filled eyes and repeated Amita's question. "What happened to Charles?"

Megan glanced around at her teammates, both of whom, had looked up at Amita's question, and a silent agreement seemed to pass between them. Amita and Larry had a right to know. Megan sighed and lowered her head briefly, noticing for the first time, the dried blood on her hands. "_Charlie's blood_." she thought sadly.

Taking a deep breath Megan lifted her head and locked eyes with Larry and Amita, and in a low voice proceeded to tell them about the tragic events that had lead them to this moment.

TBC


	34. Chapter 34

-1Obsession

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews.

Chapter 34:

Ian glanced around briefly as the SWAT helicopter landed and then turned his attention back to the cave that Bashere was hiding in. He pulled a toothpick from his mouth and tossed it to the ground as he stood up. Shouldering his rifle, he walked over to meet the six-man team as they disembarked.

"Agent Edgerton? I'm Robertson." the SWAT team leader introduced himself and then got right to the point. "How do you want to handle this?"

Ian nodded his head in acknowledgement. "You brought the smoke bombs and the gas masks?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good." He said over his shoulder as he headed to the helicopter to collect his gas mask and repelling gear. "Let's go flush a rat out of a cave."

Ten minutes later he was gathering the swat team together to review his strategy when Robertson called to him from the edge of the cliff.

"You may not need the smoke bombs."

Edgerton glanced around. "Why do you say that?"

"Because there's already smoke coming out of the cave." The agent pointed downward. "See for yourself."

The sniper and the rest of the team hurried over to the side of the cliff. Ian squatted down and his eyes narrowed as he studied the opening closely. "Now why would Bashere start a fire and what is in that cave that could burn and cause that much smoke?"

"Maybe he made a torch out of something?" Robertson suggested.

Ian shook his head slowly. "That's too much smoke for just a torch and if he was burning wood the color of the smoke would be different."

Robertson put down his binoculars. "So what do you think he's up too?"

Edgerton stood up and stared thoughtfully at the cave. "Not a clue, but if he's got a big enough fire to make that much smoke, then there has to be another entrance to create an airflow."

Edgerton turned slowly in a circle, studying the skyline and then turned suddenly toward the SWAT leader. "We have a new plan." He said abruptly and with Robertson in tow, he headed back to the helicopter. "You keep half of the men here and repel down to the ledge, but don't enter the cave until you hear from me. The other half will come with me to find the other opening, then we'll coordinate our assault and trap the man between us."

"Won't it be hard to find the right cave?"

"It'll be a lot easier to spot the smoke from the air." He reopened his pack and removed the smoke bombs. "Don't think we'll be needing these but we will need the gas masks." Ian tossed his pack into the helicopter and called for the men that would be going with him.

"Let's get this party started." Edgerton said as he slid the door closed.

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The main waiting room was getting crowded and although they sat around the corner form the crowd, the five anxious friends could still hear the frantic voices of concerned relatives and crying children. For a while they could hear the drone of the television set from the main emergency waiting room but even that was getting drowned out by the cacophony of noise……until one voice rose above the others.

"_This is Michael Whittemore coming to you live from the entrance to the Malibu Memorial Hospital where forty-five minutes ago, an FBI SWAT helicopter landed on the roof. __The helicopter was carrying an injured man from the Point Mugu crash site. We have been unable to ascertain the name of the injured man, but there is speculation that it could be Professor Eppes."_

"I've had it with that guy, he's really getting on my nerves!" David said as he angrily stormed around the corner.

"I'm with you." Colby quickly followed his partner as he muttered. "I thought LAPD was controlling the media."

A few minutes later they returned and Colby informed the others. "Someone just turned the volume up on the TV. That idiot Whittemore is out in front of the hospital."

"Yeah, LAPD won't let him through." David said smugly as he leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms.

Larry shook his head and stood up, pausing in mid-stretch as he stared at the closed doors of the emergency room. "Shouldn't they know something by now?" He asked worriedly.

Amita's head jerked around at his words and then she turned expectantly toward Megan, waiting for her to answer Larry's question.

Megan swallowed and glanced sideways at Amita. She didn't want to upset the girl any further, but she couldn't lie to Larry either. "Charlie lost a lot of blood Larry." she said sadly.

"I know." he sighed . "It's just…." his voice trailed off as a member of the trauma team came running up the hallway carrying another bag of plasma and quickly disappeared behind the ER doors.

Larry sat down heavily and leaned forward putting his face in his hands. "This can't be good." he said, his voice muffled by his hands.

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The helicopter circled the ridge slowly as Ian and the swat team scanned for another smoke trail.

"Wouldn't it be kind of stupid for this guy to light a fire and let us know where the other entrance is?" The pilot asked.

"Yep." Edgerton said as he continued to scan the rocky hill sides. "Take us down and over that rock escarpment." The agent ordered as he pointed out a particular section below them. They circled lower and then spotted at billow of smoke coming from an opening in the rocks.

The pilot dropped off the team a half mile from the escarpment and with Edgerton leading the way they were soon at the base of the ridge. Guns at the ready, they began to make their way up to the cave.

As they got closer to the cave they began to notice a strange odor. Ian halted them and sniffed at the smoke. One of team members wrinkled his nose and expressed his opinion of the odor. "What is that awful stench?"

"Man, your not kidding." Another squad member remarked. "It's enough to make a person gag."

Edgerton glanced around and said grimly. "Bashere's not burning wood, that's the smell of burning flesh and that explains the color of the smoke."

"I thought he was the only one in there." The third member of the team spoke up.

"That's what we all thought." Edgerton answered as he waved them forward. Soon they were taking up positions on either side of the opening. Ian clicked on his radio.

"Ridge 1 to Ridge 2. Over. What's your status?"

"Ridge 2. Over. We are outside of the cave and ready to make entry. There's a really bad smell coming from the cave, it's almost overpowering. Over."

"Roger that, same on this side. We go in five. Be advised however, that there may be more than one target inside the cave. Over."

Ian and the team moved closer to the entrance and took up their positions.

"**This is the FBI, come out with your hands in the air!" **The agent shouted. No answer. "**Last chance Bashere!" **Still no response.

On his signal they pulled out their masks and put them on. The smoke was thick, making the dark cavern appear even darker. They ducked through the opening, crouching down on either side of it while their eyes adjusted to the dim light. The first section of the cave contained piles of dried leaves and sticks, along with old animal bones. Clearly, this was home to some kind of animal.

"Looks like an animal's den." Edgerton warned his men. "Be on your guard, could be a lion around here somewhere. Did you copy that Ridge 2?"

"Roger that. Over."

Ian could see a light coming from the next cavern so he silently gave the hand signals and the team made it's way toward the flickering light.

Edgerton's eyebrows rose in surprise at the sight that greeted them. It was a macabre scene, to say the least. He approached the flames cautiously and circled around the fire as he studied the bizarre sight.

"Is that what I think it is?" One of the SWAT team asked in disbelief.

Another member whistled through his teeth. "If they killed each other, then who set the fire?"

Ian crouched down and despite the smell, pulled off his mask so he could get a better look. The agent glanced around the cave and stretched out a hand to grab an old animal bone which he used to drag a gun from the ashes. Next he pulled the remnants of a charred bag from the remaining flames.

The agent used the bone to push things around in the bag. "Well, it's just a guess, but that looks like a lighter in what's left of the bag and there are pieces of partially burned bundles of money in here too." Ian paused, studying the scene thoughtfully. "Bashere was probably using the flame from the lighter to light his way through the cave. The cat attacked, the lighter fell into the bag, the flame caught the money on fire. " Using the old bone as a pointer, he waved it at the burning bodies. "They fought and fell on the flames, killing each other in the process. "

"Do you think all of the money was burned up?"

Ian shrugged. "Well, there was apparently enough of the money in the bag to create the flames needed to engulf these two." He looked down at the smoldering bodies. "We may never know how much of it was destroyed."

He didn't pick anything up, but left it for the forensics team that would be coming to the site. The fire was just glowing embers now and Ian stood up just as the second team worked it's way into the chamber from the other side.

"Did you see anyone else?" he asked the SWAT leader.

"Nothing but a few bats." Robertson nodded his head at the body. "Is that him?"

"Looks like it" Edgerton answered. "Now that would have been a fight to see… predator against predator."

"Shame about the cat." Robertson observed.

Ian shrugged. "Better this way."

Surprised flitted across the man's face. "Why do you say that?"

Edgerton shouldered his rifle and started moving toward the opening. "I saw the cat's tracks down below the rocks and I'm pretty sure this is the lion that ate that fellow over on the other trail. The ranger's would have had to hunt him down anyway; once a man eater, always a man eater." he glanced back at the smoldering embers. "At least this way, the puma went down fighting. Look around, see if there are any more bags hidden around the cave." He stopped at the entrance and turned back around to face Robertson.

"I've got a call to make." Ian said and a smile briefly crossed his face. "The SAC and his brother are going to be very relieved to hear about Bashere's death. Personally, I think it's poetic justice."

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Alan followed the nurse through the door and around the glass enclosed trauma center, but his footsteps faltered as his eyes drifted toward the glass windows. He was drawn to the glass like a magnet, and he stood in shock at the flurried activity that was taking place within it's walls.

"_Oh, Charlie!" _he sobbed. Alan's hand covered his mouth as he gazed upon his youngest son. He lay upon a table, surrounded by the trauma team and it seemed to him that every machine imaginable was connected to his little boy. A breathing tube had been inserted into his throat and there were multiple monitors beeping in time with his heart. The trauma team was frantically trying to replenish his blood supply and raise his core temperature , which had lowered considerably with the loss of so much blood. There were multiple IV's of plasma and warm saline attached to his arms.

Charlie didn't resemble the vibrant, energetic young man that had been taken from his home. His eyes were closed and his dark hair and dark lashes only intensified the white pallor of his skin.

Alan felt a hand on his arm and he reluctantly turned to meet the eyes of the nurse that he had been following.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Eppes, but you can't stay here. You can' t help your son by being here, there is nothing that you can do for him right now. Let us try and help him." She spoke compassionately , and Alan could see the truth in her eyes. "But you can help your other son and he can help you. Please come with me." She took his arm and lead him around a corner to the cubicle where Don was resting.

Don 's eyes were closed when Alan entered the small area, but the older man could tell that his son wasn't sleeping. The nurse placed a folding chair beside the gurney and closed the curtain to give them some privacy. Alan just stood there, staring hopelessly at the curtain that was separating him from Charlie. His shoulders drooped with the harsh reality of what was happening just around the corner

"Dad." Don asked anxiously. "Dad, are you okay?"

Alan took a deep shuddering breath and in a daze, turned around and walked to his son's bedside. He didn't realize that he was shaking until he tried to sit down and had to grab the side of the bed to keep himself from falling. He felt numb, the vision that he had of Charlie still playing through his mind and he didn't say anything until Don grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly.

Alan squeezed his hand in return and softly whispered his name as he lifted his head and met his sons troubled eyes. "Donnie." He studied his son's face closely, taking in the bruise and the split lip that Bashere had given him back at the house and although he didn't think it was possible, his hatred for the Frenchman increased tenfold.

He was frantic with worry over Charlie and yet there was nothing he could do but wait. His gaze fell to Don's hand and he squeezed it again in an attempt to help soothe his brittle nerves.

An audible sigh escaped his lips as he tried to get his thoughts together. "_What had happened to Charlie and why had Don needed to give him an emergency transfusion?"_ Alan's hand trembled as he wiped at the moisture on his cheek. _When had he started crying? _He felt Don squeeze his other hand again and he was reminded of the nurse's words. "_But you can help your other son_."

"Donnie." he leaned over and anxiously asked. "Are you okay?"

Don swallowed hard and answered softly. "Yeah….just a little tired." he paused, afraid to ask the next question. "Dad…is Charlie okay…..have you seen him?"

Alan's brow furrowed as he smoothed Don's hair in an effort to keep them both calm. "I …I…don't know anything yet son. The doctor's are still with him."

"Dad….it's bad….really bad." Don's voice was raw with emotion.

Alan blanched, but then set his jaw. "Your brother's a fighter, he won't give up easily."

"Dad, the last thing that Charlie said to me was…" he paused and searched his father's eyes and tried to soften his words. "Dad, you have to understand, Charlie was in a lot of pain , he was sick and exhausted."

Alan squeezed his hand encouragingly. "Go ahead Donnie, tell me what he said."

Don whispered. "He said….he said that he was tired and that he couldn't do this anymore."

More tears threatened to spill over so Alan took a moment and looked away. Taking a deep breath he turned back to meet Don's pain-filled eyes and in a shaky voice he said.

"That doesn't mean that he's giving up." his voice firmed with resolve. "It's like you said, he was sick.

Don crossed his arm over his forehead and closed his eyes briefly. "Funny, the things you think about at a time like this."

"What do you mean?" Alan asked softly.

"Yesterday morning…… it was just yesterday, it seems so long ago now. Anyway, yesterday morning Charlie asked me to be his best man." he swallowed thickly. "I was so happy. You know a few years ago, he never would have asked me, and I think at first he was afraid that I was going to say no but you should have seen his face light up when I said yes." He smiled sadly at the memory.

Don turned his head away and wiped at his eyes and when he looked back, they glowed brightly with the love that he felt for his brother. "It isn't fair Dad, all of those years we wasted because we didn't understand each other and now that we do, now that we have become friends, now we may lose it all."

The voices from the next room suddenly became louder and they both went silent turning their heads in the direction of the sounds.

"**He's in severe hemorrhagic shock." **

"**Get some more plasma in here. Stat!" **

The sound of running feet, a door slamming closed and multiple beeping noises coming from several pieces of equipment seemed to resonate around the small cubicle.

It became silent once again and Alan gripped Don's hand tighter. "While we are waiting, why don't you tell me what happened. All I know is that he lost a lot of blood. How? Did he get hurt during the crash?"

Don closed his eyes for a moment, not really wanting to relieve the events of the morning, but realizing that his father had a need and the right to know what had happened to Charlie. He opened his eyes to meet his father's imploring gaze and began his tale.

Alan's heart seemed to ache even more as Don's story unfolded. It truly felt as if it was going to break in half and he thought it had broken when his son revealed Bashere's final, treacherous act of stabbing Charlie with the knife. He remembered to start breathing again when his son's next words penetrated his exhausted mind.

"Charlie's a better man than I am Dad." Don whispered softly.

Alan's brows drew together in puzzlement. "Donnie, why do you say that?'

"Charlie was home free Dad, all he had to do was walk away. Just leave Bashere hanging over the cliff and find us. Bashere couldn't have stopped him…. if he had just left him there…..and walked away." Don swallowed and turned his head, unwilling to let his father see the turmoil in his eyes. He was angry at Charlie and proud of him at the same time but as he stared at the curtain in front of him the anger faded away and only the love for his brother was in his heart.

"I would have….after every thing that man has done….I would have let him fall!" his eyes flashed angrily as he turned back to face Alan. "But Charlie couldn't do that and now he may die because of it."

Alan squeezed his son's hand once again and sighed. "Donnie, none of us know how we will handle a situation until it happens. You know that better than any of us and I think you know in your heart, as well as I do, that if Charlie hadn't tried to help the man, the Charlie that we know and love, would have died on that mountain anyway. "

With a shaking hand he smooth back Don's hair. " Maybe not physically, but mentally and emotionally, we would have lost him because he never would have forgiven himself for not trying to save the man. It doesn't matter how evil that man is or what he has done, your brother would still have had to try." he patted his son's hand. "You are both good men, and your mother and I have always been proud of both of you."

Suddenly, a deafening alarm began to ring and they could hear rising voices shouting out commands. Clamorous sounds of beeping machinery could be heard coming from the room around the corner.

"**CODE BLUE…..CODE BLUE!" **the sudden announcement erupted over the hospital's sound system.

Fearfully, Don sat up. "Help me up Dad!"

Alan quickly looped one of Don's arms over his shoulder as Don put an arm around his father's waist and together they anxiously stumbled toward the dire sounds emanating from the emergency room trauma center. They pushed through the doors unnoticed and stood fearfully in the background.

A multitude of nurses and doctor's were working frantically trying to save Charlie's life and all that Don and Alan could see of him was his mop of brown curly hair.

"**CLEAR!"**

An electric buzzing sound could be heard as the defibrillator charged and they heard the jolt of the paddles but all they could really see were Charlie's curls rising and falling during the electric shock.

"**HE'S STILL IN FIB!"**

"**AGAIN!" **

'**CLEAR" **

Once again the buzzing sound and the jolt of the paddles could be heard and they watched, numb with fear, as the curls bounced up and back down again.

Alan and Don stood together, silently clutching to one another, barely breathing themselves, as the doctor brusquely ordered.

"**AGAIN!"**

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Megan closed her phone and returned to the waiting area in front of the emergency room to find that David and Colby had gone for coffee while she had been washing up. Ian Edgerton had called and given her the news about Bashere as she was on her way back.

David handed her a cup as she sat down next to Larry. The agent felt a little more alert now and took a sip of the coffee.

"Ian called." She said and took another sip while three heads turned around to face her. "Bashere's dead, he didn't give me all of the details, he just wanted Don and Charlie to know that the man couldn't hurt them anymore."

"Good riddance." David muttered, followed closely by Colby's emphatic "Yes!"

Larry met her eyes and just nodded in relief. She glanced over at Amita, a little puzzled that the professor hadn't made any comment on Bashere's death. Instead, the girl seemed focused on something that she was holding in her hand.

Megan was surprised to see her staring at the photograph that Bashere had taken of her and Charlie on the hillside. Her first reaction was to take the picture as evidence, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Amita was hanging on by a thread and that picture appeared to be the only thing holding her together. She sighed and turned a questioning gaze to Larry.

"Any news on…." she began but was interrupted by the announcement of "**CODE BLUE… CODE BLUE."**

"Oh, God!" Larry whispered as he stood up.

As Amita rose from her chair the coffee cup she had been holding fell unnoticed to the floor. Holding the picture over her heart she took a step forward and the styrofoam cup crumpled beneath her shoe, but she never even noticed it. Her eyes never left the door to the room where Charlie had been taken and she held her breath as she listened to the sounds coming through the slightly opened door.

Without warning, a keening wail and an anguished "_**Charlie…nooo.!" **_reverberated through the opening and as she recognized Alan's and Don's voices, Amita slowly crumpled to her knees sobbing Charlie's name over and over again, crushed like the cup that she had stepped on.

TBC


	35. Chapter 35

Obsession

Disclaimer - Se Prologue

A/N: I'd like to say a special thank-you to everyone who has taken the time to review and support me in this long story. Chapter 36 will be the epilogue.

Chapter 35:

Don jerked awake, eyes wide open with his heart hammering in his chest. He wasn't quite sure what had awakened him, but he lay there trying to slow his breathing. It was a relief to wake up anyway because the dream he was having had just turned into a nightmare. A fine sheen of sweat covered his body and he wiped at his upper lip with a trembling hand. His tee shirt was sticking to his chest and he absently pulled it away from his skin; his thoughts still lost in the dream.

Clad only in tee shirt and boxers, he pulled himself up to a sitting position, dragging one leg out from under the covers as he did so. No more than a second later he irritably tossed the comforter completely aside and sat hunched over in the darkness. He needed to cool off and the comforter was too much to handle at the moment. As his breathing began to slow down the dream came back vividly in his mind.

" _It was a dream…right? _he nervously thought to himself. No… not a dream but a nightmare! It had to be, because there wasn't anyway it could be true. It just couldn't be.; he refused to accept the alternative. Moonlight filtered through the shades giving him enough light to see around the room. Even without the light he knew where everything was, this was his room at his childhood home…at Charlie's house. He swallowed hard and continued to look around the darkened room, trying to give his heart time to stop racing.

A wave of despair suddenly washed over him and he set both of his feet on the floor and put his head in his hands.

"_Please, God, oh, please let it have been a dream." _he thought frantically. "_Charlie didn't die in the emergency room, he couldn't have, we got there in time, I know we did." _

Yet this vision kept playing before his eyes like a video. The doctor, desperately trying to get a heartbeat, the incessant tone of the heart monitor, no heartbeat to break up the sound. The word "clear" being announced by someone, followed immediately by the sound of the defibrillator paddles…once…twice…three times and his brother's brown curls bouncing with each jolt. Then someone announcing the time of death and the heart-wrenching wail from his father, immediately followed by his own voice calling out his brother's name.

It was a dream, he told himself again and all he had to do to prove it was to walk out into the hallway and open his brother's bedroom door. Charlie would be sound asleep in his bed, he could already envision the unruly curls popping out from under the comforter.

So why didn't he move? Don had faced down some of the worst criminals in his line of work but the prospect of going into that room and finding out that his dream was actually a reality scared him more than anything that he had ever faced in his life.

Slowly, he gathered his courage and on shaky legs he walked to his bedroom door and opened it. He leaned weakly against the door frame and stared down the dark hallway at the closed door of his brother's bedroom.

Taking a deep shuddering breath, he pushed himself away from the door and padded his way down the hallway to Charlie's room. He just stood there, silently staring at the closed door for several minutes before finally stretching out his hand to open it. The door knob slipped in his hand and he realized that his palms were all sweaty. Don pulled his hand back and leaned his forehead against the door, closing his eyes, afraid of what he might find when he actually opened it. He gritted his teeth and told himself that he could do this, so he wiped his hand on his tee shirt and took a another shaky breath as he slowly turned the door knob.

The door opened with a slight click which sounded deafening to his ears in the stillness of the night. The room was dark and only the moonlight and the light from the hallway provided any kind of illumination. Don stood framed in the doorway waiting for his eyes to adjust to the dim light. He could see the shape of the bed but the rest of it was enveloped in darkness. Swallowing hard, he moved across the room until he came to the side of the bed.

Don didn't want to wake Charlie, but he had to be sure that is brother was really there. He bent over and quietly patted around the edges of the pillow hoping to touch a stray curl without disturbing him. After a few frantic moments, however, all thoughts of being careful were replaced by a desperate attempt to touch his brother, but his hands continued to feel only cloth.

His breath quickened and his movements became more frenzied. And now in a state of panic he turned around and clicked on the lamp near the bed. Anxiously, he focused on the empty bed and an uncontrollable moan of grief escaped his lips. He sank to his knees on the floor, wrapping his arms around himself in an effort to control the stabbing pain in his heart. Don rocked back and forth as the sobs of grief wracked his body. "_It was true…it was true, oh, God, it was true."_

Don didn't know how long he had been sitting there, but after a while he heard a voice break through his tormented mind. He felt a hand shake his shoulder and he heard a soft, low voice that sounded hauntingly familiar, a voice telling him that it was going to be all right…..a voice that he thought he had lost forever.

"Donnie, wake up. Your having a nightmare." a pause and a harder shake . "Come on, wake up now."

Don opened his eyes and blinked in amazement at the silhouette sitting on the side of his bed. _His bed? How did he get here_? No matter, that could wait until later, the most important question now was who was sitting next to him on the bed. The bedroom door was ajar and the dim light from the hallway cast enough light to outline the figure of a man, a man with a head full of curls. He raised himself up on one elbow and blinked through swollen eyes at the profile of his brother. "Charlie?"

Don slowly stretched out his hand and hope flooded his senses. His hand wavered over the apparition, fear and uncertainty creeping into his heart. "_If he's not real, he'll disappear if I touch him." _and Don didn't want him to vanish, he wanted him to stay. But he had to know for sure, so with a trembling hand he touched the figure's arm to see if it was real.

Flesh met flesh and his hand closed around Charlie's wrist. Overjoyed, he sat up suddenly and embraced his brother with such force that he squeezed a strangled "oomph" from the younger man. "Your really here, I can't believe it." he whispered breathlessly as he held him tightly.

Caught by surprise, Charlie awkwardly patted him on the back, but after a few more minutes he was pushing Don away to catch his breath. "Hey, Don, I can't breathe."

"Oh, ah, sorry." Don apologized . He let him go and then leaned over and switched on the lamp next to the bed. Slightly embarrassed, he scooted backwards until he was sitting with his back against the head board.

"It's alright." Charlie grinned at him. "You okay?"

"Yeah, sure." He said, pulling the comforter up a little higher. "It…ah…was just a nightmare."

Charlie's grin faded and his eyebrows drew together with concern. "That's the second one this week, isn't it?"

Don shrugged his shoulders and looked over at the clock, five a.m. "What are you doing up so early? Did I wake you up?"

Charlie shook his head slightly. "No, I had to take a trip down the hall and I heard you yelling on my way back." he tilted his head to the side and studied his brother's face. "I thought you were going to make an appointment to see Dr. Bradford."

"I am, I just haven't had a chance to do it yet."

Charlie twisted around to get more comfortable, cursing softly to himself as he stretched his leg out in front of him.

Don sat up in alarm with a guilty look on his face. "Did I hurt you….I'm sorry, I didn't mean too."

Startled, Charlie looked up. "No…no you didn't hurt me. I just turned my leg the wrong way, that's all."

The sudden look of relief that crossed Don's face reminded Charlie of something that he had been feeling guilty about and he had been waiting for the right moment to talk to his brother about it. Five o'clock in the morning was probably not the best time but the opportunity presented itself and he took it. A feeling of guilt washed over him and he ducked his head a moment to gather his thoughts.

"Don…look, I owe you an apology." Charlie said as he raised his head to meet his brother's eyes.

Don's brow creased in puzzlement. "An apology? Charlie you didn't do anything." He started to laugh it off until he noticed the serious look on his brother's face. "Okay, tell me what you think you did."

"Do you …." Charlie cleared his throat. "Ah, do you remember the day that Bashere, you know…kidnapped me?"

A scowl crossed Don's features. "Remember? That's not something I'm likely to forget any time soon Buddy."

Charlie lowered his eyes and picked nervously at his tee shirt. "The part I'm talking about is when I was saying good-by to you and what I asked of you." He raised his head and gazed at his brother. "I was wrong to ask that of you….it's just that Basherehad caught me off guard and I wasn't thinking rationally. I hope you can forgive me."

Without hesitation Don answered. "There's nothing to forgive Charlie, in that situation none of us were thinking rationally." he paused and looked down. "Actually, I owe you an apology."

It was Charlie's turn to look puzzled. "I don't understand, you didn't do anything."

Don's eyes reflected the painful memories as he whispered. "I almost killed you Buddy." He cleared his throat and put up a hand to forestall Charlie's objections.

" When I drove out on that runway I was desperate. I just knew if that plane took off, I would never see you again." he shook his head. "I was just hoping to close the distance before the pilot had enough runway to lift off…. and we did…but the idiot took off anyway."

"The pilot didn't want to." Charlie said bitterly. "Bashere made him do it."

"Yeah? Anyway , when the plane went down, I was sure that I had killed you. I'm sorry I put you through that." Don said sadly and raised his head to meet his brother's eyes.

Charlie shook his head slightly and said. "That's what Bashere said just before we went down. He handcuffed himself to me and said that you had killed me." His voice trailed off as he watched Don's expression change to one of regret and he quickly hastened to add. "But I told him that you had set me free." He watched as his brother's sorrowful eyes lit up with hope. "I truly meant that Don, a life as a prisoner is no life, and that's what I would have been if you hadn't stopped that plane. So you see, there's nothing for you to apologize for."

Don breathed a sigh of relief. "We're even then, no apologies necessary. Deal."

"Deal." Charlie said emphatically, returning his smile. He shifted a little and then stood up slowly, leaning heavily on his cane.

"Are you going to stay up?" Don asked.

"No, I'm still a little tired, I think I'll go back to bed for a little while longer. We don't have to leave until this afternoon anyway."

"Are you sure about this? You still look pretty weak Charlie, maybe you should just stay in this afternoon."

"No, I told you that I need to do this Don…please…it's just something that I have to do." Charlie said passionately.

"All right, all right, don't get upset." Don answered raising his hands up to calm him down. "I said I'd take you, and I will."

With a relived sigh Charlie turned to leave the room. "Thanks, see you later bro."

"Good night Charlie." Don said thoughtfully as he watched his brother limp out of the room. Charlie's tee shirt looked baggy on his thin frame. He had lost a lot of weight as a result of the attack and he was still recovering both physically and mentally from the ordeal. Don crossed his arms behind his head as his thoughts turned to the events of the last few weeks.

They had lost him in the ER but Dr. Hernandez had refused to give up and had kept trying even after the others wanted to call time of death. Don shivered, hearing the words echo through his mind.

Charlie had spent a week in the hospital and had been home for only three days. He had lain unconscious for two days while the doctors struggled to learn the extent of his injuries. The main concern had been oxygen deprivation which had resulted from the sheer volume of the blood that his body had lost. There had been so many things to worry about, the oxygen level in his blood had dropped and the carbon monoxide levels had increased. There had been a good chance of respiratory and organ failure, not to mention the fact that brain damage could have occurred. And, as if he needed anything else, there had been the infection from the wound in his side. Stitches took care of the laceration but he had to have the antibiotics given to him intravenously to take care of the infection. Charlie was still on the pill version of the antibiotics and would be for several more weeks.

Don swallowed thickly, all in all, it was a miracle that his brother had survived. He sighed and turned out the light, pulling the covers up over his shoulders. As his head hit the pillow, he realized that Charlie was right, he really was going to have to make an appointment to se Dr. Bradford. He couldn't go on this way, the nightmares were just too vivid. He glanced at the clock and with a groan he tossed the comforter aside and climbed out of bed.

Don was planning to take the afternoon off, but there was a lot of paperwork on his desk to get through this morning and since he was already awake, he figured that he might as well go in early and get a head start on it, besides , he really didn't want to risk another nightmare.

Don felt better after a shower and returned to his room wrapped in a towel. He finished drying off and quickly dressed in jeans and a tee shirt , then grabbed a jacket to dress it up a bit. He retrieved his badge, gun and phone from the nightstand and headed down the hallway.

Charlie's door was still closed but he couldn't stop himself from looking in, the dream still vivid in his mind. The door slipped open without a sound and he peaked around it to take a look. Charlie was lying on his side with the covers pulled up almost over his head, errant curls sticking out everywhere. Don smiled in relief and quietly backed out of the room but before he could close the door, Charlie raised his head and caught his eye.

"You and Dad have got to stop doing that." he said in an amused voice.

Don shrugged and feigned innocence. "What? I thought I heard a noise or something….that's all."

Charlie rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure. You guys need to come up with different stories, that's exactly what Dad said a few minutes ago."

"Dad beat me to it huh?'

"Yep." Charlie grinned . "And as soon as I'm better, Amita will probably be keeping me company so I may have to start locking my door." Still smiling, he snuggled further under the covers.

Don grinned back, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Trust me bro, when that happens you won't have to worry about us checking up on you. See you later, I'll be back in time for lunch."

But Charlie had already drifted back to sleep so Don quietly closed the door. His steps quickened and more lighthearted than he had felt in weeks he headed down the staircase.

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Don sipped at his coffee and turned over the next page of the report. He had turned command over to Megan at the hospital and put in for leave so that he could remain with his Dad and Charlie. As a result of that he now had over a week's worth of paperwork to review.

"What time did you get in?"

He glanced up at Megan's words. "I'm leaving at noon today so I needed to come in early and start on this." he said waving at the various stacks of paperwork on his desk.

"Oh, the woes of being the SAC." Megan teased as she headed for her desk.

Don grinned at her. "Ha, ha."

She returned his grin and after putting her things away came over to stand beside his desk. Her voice sobered up as she asked. "How's Charlie doing?"

The agent leaned back in his chair and met her gaze. "He's getting better, at least physically, emotionally he has some issues to deal with."

Megan sat down on the corner of his desk. "That's understandable, an ordeal like that is going to take some time to get over. You know, if he needs to talk to someone about it, besides you and your father I mean, I'd be happy to help out or I could recommend someone."

"Thanks, Megan. I'll give him the message."

"What about you, how are you dealing with it?"

Don shrugged his shoulders. "Not so good. I think I'll pay another visit to Dr. Bradford and talk out a few things myself."

She nodded her head in approval. "I'm glad to hear that Don. I know that it would do you a lot of good to talk to him about it."

"Yeah." he cleared his throat, ready to get back to work. "It looks like you've wrapped up things pretty good. Picarry was the man that Bashere shot and fed to the lion."

She nodded her head. "The DNA results prove that the remains are those of James Picarry."

"I didn't read through all of this yet, what about the elusive Krill?"

"It's all in the file but I'll save you some time. " she said with a smirk. " Ian picked up the tracks where Picarry and Krill separated. Krill's tracks lead to the rocky ridge below the cave where we found Bashere. Edgerton's theory is that the man stumbled over the side of the cliff during the night. They found a semi-automatic caught in the rocks below, no body though, but his prints are on the gun."

Don rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "No chance that he might have doubled back and left the area?"

She shook her head. "No, Ian says that Krill's tracks lead up to the rocks but not away from the area. The mutual consensus is that Krill's body has probably washed out to sea and according to the coast guard there is a strong undercurrent in that area. Another few days and they'll call off the search. It's been almost ten days, so his body could be anywhere by now." She stood up and smiled. "And of course, there are always the sharks."

"Yeah." Don agreed. "There are always the sharks." He stood up himself and arched his back, trying to work the stiffness out of it. "Did Ian backtrack down the trails to be sure? We had a lot of search teams up there, any chance that we could have covered up some of Krill's tracks?"

"None of the survivors made it more than a few miles from the crash site. Edgerton took both trails down to the fire road and none of the tracks he found matched our guys."

"Sounds pretty definite then." The agent stifled a yawn. "I think it's time for another cup of coffee."

I'll join you." Megan said .

They continued to discuss the case as they walked toward the break room. "Any news on our missing mole, Marshal Simmons?" he asked as he held the door open for her.

"Only that he's still missing. I figure his body will turn up in a few months. Bashere was very thorough at severing his loose ends and Simmons was last seen just before he kidnapped Charlie."

"That's pretty much how I figure it too."

They got their coffee and headed back to their desks. Don glanced at his watch, nine-thirty, and he still had a lot of paperwork to get through before he left at noon.

He scrubbed a hand through his hair and settled down to get it finished and at eleven-thirty he closed the last folder, said good-by to his team and headed for the elevator.

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"Hi Don."

Don turned at the door to the craftsman and waved at the Patterson's across the street. Jack and Beth had really been away on a cruise. After a little investigating, Don had discovered that the couple had actually won a cruise to the Caribbean. It had all been arranged by Bashere, of course, so that their house would be vacant when he needed to use it. But as far as the Patterson's were concerned, things had worked out perfectly for them, even though their house had been broken into while they were away. Nothing had been stolen or broken so they didn't let it upset them that much. Even the koi had survived Bashere's visit but only because the Patterson's had hired a neighbor's son to look after them and whether it was just luck or by the Frenchman's design, the boy had never run into the man.

The agent pushed the door open and Charlie called out to him as he closed the door.

"Hey brother, your just in time for lunch."

"Good, I'm starving." Don said as he put his keys on the round table by the door. His hand automatically went to the envelopes that were lying there but as he picked them up he noticed the absence of the crystal bowl that was usually kept there to hold the mail.

"What happened to the bowl?" He asked in surprise just as Alan came through the swinging door from the kitchen carrying a large salad bowl."

An odd expression crossed Alan's face as he answered. "Broken, there …ah…was an accident." he set the dish on the table and quickly returned to the kitchen.

Charlie was sitting at the table and with a sideways glance at the kitchen door, he pretended to have a hammer in his hand and with a grin on his face he mimicked the act of breaking the bowl and then silently mouthed the word 'sledge hammer."

Don's eyebrows shot up as he mouthed "oh" in return and then his lips spread into a broad grin. The agent wasn't surprised that Alan had deliberately broken the bowl, after all, Bashere had given it to Charlie as a gift. Frankly, he was surprised that it had taken his Dad that long to break it. Still grinning he sat down in a chair next to his brother.

Charlie leaned over with a mischievous look in his eyes and whispered. "I think he even sterilized the chess set."

They both burst into laughter when Alan's indignant voice suddenly called from the kitchen.

"I heard that."

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Later that afternoon Don eased the SUV to the side of a narrow road and parked directly across from a burial site at a public cemetery located in a rural part of Ventura. He glanced sideways at his brother as he pulled the key from the ignition.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked again. It was a question that he must have asked at least ten times since they had left the Craftsman that afternoon.

"No…but I need to do this…for my own peace of mind." Charlie said softly as he turned to face his brother. "I need to see the man buried and out of my life."

Don could still see the pain in his brother's eyes from Bashere's attack and he clenched his jaw when he thought of the man. Burial was too good for him, they should have left him for the vultures. As far as he was concerned, that would have been justice, eaten by one of his own kind.

"Okay, let's get this over with." he growled.

"You don't have to go Don, you can stay in the car." his brother advised as he started to open the car door

Don pulled his sunglasses down to the bridge of his nose and held Charlie's gaze. "If your going, then I'm going." He twisted around in the seat so he could face the rear of the car. "Isn't that right Dad?"

"You got that right." Alan Eppes replied gruffly as he opened his own door to get out of the car. He stepped up quickly to the front passenger side of the vehicle and opened the door before Charlie had a chance to push it open. The SUV was high and under normal circumstances his youngest, at five foot seven, would have to climb in and out of the vehicle, but with his current injuries it was even more difficult for him to contend with it's height.

"Charlie, slide out slowly and I'll help you down from there." Alan anxiously watched as his youngest climbed out of the car.

Clutching his cane in one hand and holding onto the door with the other Charlie refused his Dad's assistance and slowly worked his way to solid ground, wincing as his injured leg bumped the edge of the door.

"Did you hurt your leg…you should have let me help you." The elder Eppes admonished his son as he watched him straighten up and lean on his cane. "Of all of the marvelous traits that you inherited from your mother, I truly wish that stubbornness had not been one of them."

Don had come around to the side of the vehicle and Charlie turned so that Alan couldn't see his face, grinning and rolling his eyes at him.

Don chuckled. "You know, Dad, I don't think all of the stubbornness came from Mom."

Alan's eyebrows rose as he put his hands on his hips. "Really ….and just whom do you think it came from?" he asked with a pointed stare at his eldest.

Don coughed and turned his head to hide his smile as his brother came to his rescue.

"Look, Dad, it's not that I don't appreciate your help, I really do. It's just that I have to do these things for myself if I'm going to get better. The therapist said that I need to strengthen the muscles in my leg and I can't do that if your always helping me."

Charlie smiled at him and with the aid of his cane, he slowly walked around his father and headed toward the burial site. Alan let out an exasperated sigh and shared a grim smile with his oldest son as they fell into step behind him.

The sun was warm and Charlie was glad that he had left his jacket behind. As he stepped up to the grave site a breeze stirred the dust at his feet but did nothing to relieve the sweat that was forming on his forehead. With a slightly trembling hand he wiped at his brow; he was still weak from his injuries; the doctor's had told him that it would take a few weeks for his strength to fully return, even longer for his leg to completely heal. Therapy would bring all movement back again and time would take away the pain and stiffness.

However, it was going to take longer for the nightmares to disappear completely and he was fervently hoping that coming here today would help on that end of his recovery.

There were no crowds of people at this grave site, no family members to mourn this man; he had killed them all himself, a long time ago. The priest had said a few words and had already turned away, heading for another burial site a few rows to the right of them,

"_Another lost soul to bless and send on it's way," _Charlie thought absently as he watched the priest stop and begin to pray. His eyes shifted back to the open grave in front of him and he carefully stepped to the edge of the hole and peered down at the pine box lying at the bottom. No one had come to claim the body and the French Government had decided that they didn't want him back either, so they had sent enough money to give the man a plain burial.

"_It was ironic." _Charlie thought as he stared at the coffin. "_That this man , who had loved luxury so much, would now spend eternity in a plain wooden box. Perhaps this was to be a part of Bashere's own personal hell."_

It was over, the man would never bother him again...he was really dead. That's why Charlie had insisted on coming here today, not to mourn the loss of a life, but to breathe a sigh of relief that this particular life was really gone.

"_Does that make me a bad person_?" he wondered. He didn't think so but maybe he would use the advice that he had given his brother, and pay a visit to Dr. Bradford himself. After that, maybe he could come to grips with his feelings and he and Amita could move on and begin they're life together.

A shadow suddenly blocked the warm sun from his face and he looked up expecting to see his father or brother but was startled when he found himself standing across the open grave from a tall figure. She was dressed in black from head to toe, wearing a long black veil that fell past her shoulders. The veil was so dark that he couldn't make out any facial features and she was carrying a large a bouquet of French lilies. She bowed her head and pulled a flower from the bouquet and tossed it into the open grave. The flower hit the top of the casket with a dull thud.

There was something about the woman that made him feel uncomfortable. He couldn't quite put his finger on it but he was starting to feel as if she were studying him beneath that dark veil. Charlie shifted his position, he was ready to leave anyway, he had accomplished what he had set out to do and there wasn't any reason to linger here any longer. Alan and Don were only a few feet behind him but as he moved to join them the woman spoke to him.

"So…you are the one that killed the beast… yes?" Her voice was deep and sultry and she spoke with a French accent.

Surprise flitted across Charlie's face as he turned back around to face her. Speechless, he stared at the woman, trying to make some sense out of what she had just said. The woman continued to stare at him, waiting for an answer.

"Excuse me?" he asked. "I'm not sure what you mean?"

Before she could respond Alan and Don moved up to stand beside Charlie; they too had heard her question and Don couldn't hold back his irritation.

"I don't know what you've heard but my brother didn't kill anyone....a mountain lion killed Bashere." Don said brusquely, narrowing his eyes as he took in her appearance. "Isn't it a little warm to be dressed that way?"

"Yes, it is warm, but I wear it to pay my respects to the dead. It is the custom, where I am from."

"Was he a friend of yours?" The agent asked suspiciously, his FBI instincts kicking into gear. Maybe she had been involved with the kidnapping and the other crimes.

"Henri Bashere had no friends. I knew him for over thirty years, more or less, but I could not call him a friend." she paused and tilted her head thoughtfully. "More like an acquaintance, perhaps."

"Thirty years is a long time to just remain an "acquaintance." the agent returned, his tone clearly reflecting his disbelief. "I' didn't get your name, mine is Don Eppes." he prompted.

"I did not offer it, but I will tell you all the same. My name is Marie Bastille and in all of the many years that I knew Henri Bashere, he never let himself get close to anyone. That is what made him so rich and powerful…..but it also made him very dangerous."

"Why did you ask me that question?" Charlie asked guardedly.

She turned to face the smaller man and studied him thoughtfully. "I was comparing Henri's life to that of the beast in the French Fairy Tale, " Beauty and the Beast." She paused to consider her words.

"You see, unlike the beast in the fable, whose appearance was beastly, Henri's "beast" was hidden from view and was buried deep within his breast. His "beast" lived inside his cold and uncaring heart. He was not born with a warm heart like the rest of us, you see." Another lily found it's way to the bottom of the hole.

"During all the long years that I knew Henri Bashere, I never heard him complain about the way he was; he was content to be what he had become." She tossed another flower onto the casket and raised her head , facing toward Charlie.

"Is that a "French" thing?" Don asked sarcastically. "Bashere liked to compare real life to fables too."

Her head swiveled toward Don and she appeared to tense up at his words but ignored his question and went on with her story. She brought her chin up and faced Charlie once again.

"When I last saw him he was excited about the future, he had changed you see, the beast within him had somehow been " she paused to search for a word , "diminished. Henri was different this time; it is hard to explain, but I will try." Her gaze dropped to the pine box. "Henri's eyes never showed any warmth….never…they were always cold and unfeeling. This time, however, his eyes would soften when he spoke of a young man, a young man that had become quite "special" to him. He was trying to change, you see, to become someone that this man could love." With a slight tilt to her head she studied the professor. "In the fable, love killed the beast, and so it was with Henri. He allowed himself to love, and therefore, it destroyed the "beast" within him, making him vulnerable."

"And why do you believe that I am that person?" He asked in a sharper tone.

She laughed. "Why, from the photograph, of course, and I must say that after seeing you in person, I can understand why Henri was so attracted to you."

Don wasn't sure if his brother's face had turned red from the compliment or from the effort that it was taking him to control his temper, but whatever it was, it was getting him upset and the agent had not missed the slight tremor of the cane clutched tightly in his brother's white-knuckled grip. It was time to put a stop to this nonsense and get Charlie home where he could calm down and relax but his brother's angry voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Photograph….what photograph?" This time the rage was even more apparent in the mathematician's voice_. " How dare the man carry a picture of him! _Charlie was furious.

"Do not be angry, mon ami. It is a picture of the two of you together, he was so proud of it, you see, that he even gave me a copy." Her gloved fingers fumbled in her purse until she pulled out the photograph. "Here, I will show you." She held out her hand and offered the picture to him.

"I'll get it." Don quickly offered before Charlie started to make his way around the grave. Don's protective instincts were at full alert, he didn't want his brother anywhere near this woman. He walked briskly around the open grave to take it from her. The agent had hoped to see some of her facial features as he got closer, but the veil reflected the sunlight and all he could see were shadows beneath the folds. He glanced down at the picture and his stomach did a flip flop.

The woman was right about one thing, Charlie was definitely in the picture. He was standing beside Bashere, while the man was sitting in a chair. His hand placed lovingly on the Frenchman's forearm and they were both smiling at one another.

He met his brother's angry gaze across the open grave and wished with all of his heart that he didn't have to show him the picture. Don reluctantly made his way back to his brother's side and handed him the photograph with a disgusted comment. "It's obviously a fake."

Charlie's face paled as he took the photograph and he heard Alan's sudden intake of breath at the sight of it. His eyes flashed angrily as he raised his head and glared at the woman across from him.

"I only met the man twice and I certainly didn't pose for this picture or any other picture with him." Angrily, he ripped the picture into tiny pieces and let them fall into the open grave. As the last piece fell among the lilies he whispered hoarsely. "The man was insane!"

"Perhaps, but even in madness, there are moments of lucidity." She laughed softly and it echoed eerily around the quiet graveyard. "Perhaps you gave him an insight into sanity and he wanted more."

Charlie felt a shiver run up his spine as his memory flashed back to moments on the plane before it had crashed. Several times he thought he had seen different emotions flicker briefly in Bashere's eyes, and then on the cliff face, moments before the Frenchman had stabbed him, he had seemed like a different person. "_Had that been sanity trying to break through or just madness?"_

He felt his Dad's hand on his shoulder and he looked up into his concerned eyes.

"You don't look so good son, I think we should go." he whispered softly.

"Dad's right Charlie, you need to lie down." Don added as he placed a supporting hand under his brother's elbow. "We've been here long enough. What do you say bro?"

Charlie swallowed and nodded in acquiescence.; he was starting to feel a little shaky and his leg was beginning to throb in earnest so he turned around to begin the trek back to the car.

The veiled lady, however, was not finished with him. She had one more question to ask.

"So, why have you come here, if not to mourn?"

Charlie's eyes, which only moments before had reflected anguish, turned hard as he turned back to face her.

"I came to make sure that he was dead." he answered coldly.

"Ah, my sweet mon ami, I ask you this?" She purred. "Does evil truly die? If we have been touched by such abhorrent evil does it really leave us or does a part of it remain connected to us for the rest of our lives. Henri told me that picture was a copy of a painting that he had commissioned and is now hanging in one of his many estates."

"Where is this estate? Do you have an address?" Charlie asked desperately. He had to find that painting and destroy it.

She laughed as she tossed her last lily into the open grave . "I have no idea, he never told me, and before you ask, I do not know where any of his estates are located. I cannot help you find it. " Her voice turned cold. "I have a feeling that even in death, Henri Bashere will touch your life for a very long time."

The woman inclined her head toward him and pivoted around on her foot. "Adieu, mon ami." She said as she slowly walked away.

"Don't pay any attention to her Charlie." Alan advised as they began to walk back toward the car.

"Yeah." Don added, "She's just as crazy as Bashere was." But his eyes followed the French woman to a limo that was waiting by the side of the road.

Charlie anxiously turned toward his brother. "What if she was right and what about that painting? "

"The tech's found his laptop Charlie, maybe we can find something in there?'" Don said in an effort to calm his brother down.

"It's like Don said, she's just as crazy as Bashere was, so she could be lying about the painting." Alan said as they reached the car. It worried him that Charlie didn't protest when he offered to help him get into the SUV. His youngest just took his arm without a word and settled in the seat.

Don pulled out and headed around the cemetery hoping to catch sight of the vehicle the French woman was riding in. There was something about her that had him on edge, he needed to know more about her. He pulled up behind the limo just as it was making a turn but he had enough time to get the license plate number before it was lost from view.

"Charlie, would you write that license number down for me?" he asked as he pulled a notebook from his pocket and handed it to him.

"Yeah, sure." Charlie responded.

"That's French isn't it?" Alan asked from the back. "One of those specialized plates."

"I'll get it translated tomorrow." Don said as he flipped on his turn signal and headed back toward Pasadena.

"You won't have to wait Don, I can tell you what it says." Charlie said in a strained voice. "a bientot," it actually has two meanings." He glanced at his brother as he explained. "It either means "so long" or "until next time."

"It doesn't mean anything Charlie. That lady obviously has a wicked sense of humor and I know who she is now. She's the owner of the dating service that Bashere frequented."

Charlie nodded and forced his doubts aside. "Your right, it's finally over. Bashere is dead."

TBC


	36. Chapter 36

-1Obsession

Disclaimer: See Prologue

Chapter 36: Epilogue:

Charlie sorted through the DVD's that Amita had stacked on the coffee table for him to choose from. They had opted for a quiet evening at her apartment on this Friday night and both were looking forward to an evening alone.

The past month had been full of follow-up visits with his doctor, physical therapist, and even a couple of visits with Dr. Bradford. His body was healing and emotionally he was beginning to put the ordeal behind him.

Unfortunately, his mind was not fully focused on choosing a movie. The events of the last few weeks kept playing through his memory. The FBI had wanted every detail of the kidnapping, beginning from his abduction at the house to the rescue on the cliffs. It had been difficult to talk about it at first, but Don had stayed with him and with his encouragement he was able to get through it and tell them everything that had happened to him. The only part of it that he couldn't recall with clarity was what had taken place after Bashere had stabbed him. Don and his team took over at that point and filled in the rest of the report.

Sighing and slightly irrated, Charlie had to start over again, telling himself to concentrate on the DVD's. But as he began to sort through them, his thoughts, once again, turned to the FBI's investigation.

The bureau had Bashere's DNA on file, taken from their first encounter with the Frenchman, and it had matched the blood spatter they found inside the cave. Three weeks after the plane crash, a badly decomposed body had been discovered in the water along the Point Mugu coastline but it was still being tagged as a John Doe. The FBI didn't have any DNA records of Alexis Krill so they were waiting to see if South Africa had obtained any from the man. Marie Bastille had closed her business and had left for Mexico on the very day of the Frenchman's burial. The FBI had no evidence linking her to Bashere's crimes so they were not actively pursuing her. It seemed that her only involvement with Bashere had been to supply him with escorts, and that of course, had been the nature of her business, "Lady Chatterley's Companions".

After the depositions were finished Don had confessed to him that he had a funny feeling about the woman and had really wanted a chance to question her when she wasn't hiding behind a veil, but she was out of his reach now. Charlie had also been disappointed to hear that she had left the country because he had some questions for her himself, like where a certain painting might be found. She had denied any knowledge of it's location at the cemetery but he had a feeling that she had been lying about that and that she knew a lot more than she had told them. The painting weighed heavily on his mind though and even his numbers couldn't help him locate it; he just didn't have enough data to come up with any viable locations.

It was finally over, so it was with a sigh of relief that Charlie stretched his legs out in front of him and leaned his head back against the sofa. Somehow he had managed to narrow his choices down to just two movies and he yawned tiredly as he set the them aside and waited for Amita to join him.

Charlie had nodded off without realizing it but Amita's gentle kisses quickly brought him to his senses. He opened his eyes and pulled Amita closer, replacing her gentle kisses with more passionate ones.

"This is better than a movie." he said huskily.

"Yes it is." she whispered back. "But your leg isn't completely healed yet, so we'll have to settle for the movie…remember?"

He groaned softly. "I can take a little pain."

"But I can't." she said pulling slightly away from him and meeting his eyes. "I'm not going to be responsible if you have a relapse. Besides, I don't like to see you in pain."

Charlie gazed into her concerned eyes and with an exaggerated sigh he released her.

"Okay, you win. I've narrowed it down to these two movies but I'm leaning toward this one." he said holding them out for her. "Which one do you want to watch?"

Amita laughed delightedly. "I love that one, excellent choice. "Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." She jumped up. "I'll pop some popcorn and you can get the movie set up."

His eyes lingered on her until she was out of the room then he sighed again and got up to start the DVD player. Charlie inserted the disk and looked around for the remote but his search failed to locate the elusive device.

"Amita." he called out. "Where's the remote?"

She popped her head back through the doorway. "Oh, sorry, look on my desk, it might be under that stack of files."

Charlie glanced at her desk and his eyebrows shot up…. and she thought he was disorganized?

The small desk top disappeared completely beneath her purse, laptop and a pile of student folders but he didn't give up and eventually found the remote behind her laptop.

"Found it." he called out again, As he turned around he accidentally brushed against her purse and it went tumbling off of the desk, spilling it's contents across the floor just as Amita returned carrying drinks and a bowl of popcorn.

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid that I bumped it when I turned around." he eased himself to the floor and sat down to pick up her things. He could bend his leg now but there was still a lot of pain if he put his weight on it while he was bending.

"Charlie, that's okay, I can get this. Your going to hurt yourself." Amita hurriedly set the snacks down and was soon on her knees gathering up her things.

"No, I'm okay this way. I can help." Charlie protested.

A piece of paper sealed in plastic had slid under the coffee table and he picked it up to hand it to her, pausing when he recognized what it was. He stared at it in surprise, it was the note that he had put inside the box of roses, the note that Bashere had ripped to pieces. It wasn't complete though, there were a lot gaps in his message. A number of pieces were still missing, but she had tried to fit the remaining fragments together and had taped them to another sheet of paper and sealed it in plastic.

He tilted his head slightly and met Amita's eyes. "You tried to put my note back together." he said softly.

She bowed her head and when she looked up again there was moisture in the corner of her eyes. Amita reached out to take his hand as she whispered. "It was all that I had left of you after that monster took you away. I….I didn't know if I was ever going to see you again and I had to know what you wrote." She glanced sadly at the note. "But I couldn't find all of the pieces, so I couldn't figure out everything you had written."

Charlie lifted her chin and kissed her. "Why didn't your tell me? Why did you keep it a secret?"

Amita's voice was thick with emotion as she answered. "Charlie, you had been through so much and I…I just didn't want to remind you of that horrible day."

He gently cupped her cheek and said softly. "Mita, what happened is behind us now, but what I wrote in the note still holds true." Charlie gently wiped away the tears that had fallen on her cheeks.

"Come here, and I'll tell you what I meant for you to read that day."

Amita moved closer and they scooted backwards on the floor until their backs were resting against the sofa. He put his arm around her shoulders and she put an arm around his waist and laid her head upon his chest,

Charlie held the note in his free hand so that she could see it too. "Let me fill in these gaps for you."

_My Dearest Amita,_

_I wish that I could claim the following words as my own, but in truth, I cannot . However, I do believe that they were meant for the two of us. _

"_From every human being there rises a light that reaches straight to heaven. And when two souls that are destined to be together find each other, their streams of light flow together, and a single brighter light goes forth from their united being."_

_You will always have my heart and my soul._

_Love,_

_Charlie_

"Oh Charlie, that is so beautiful." She ran her hand through his curls and pulled his head down so their lips could meet. After a long lingering kiss she asked. "I've never read that before, where did you find it?"

He shifted his position to get more comfortable. "Well, it was actually written by Baal Shem Tov, a Jewish mystical Rabbi who lived during the middle ages. I stumbled across some of his stories and I thought that this particular passage applied to us."

She smiled and kissed him again. "Who's says that mathematician's can't be romantic?"

Charlie laughed and pulled her closer but before he could snatch another kiss his cell phone rang. "I knew I should have turned my phone off." he grumbled as he pulled it from his pocket.

Amita giggled. "And if you had turned it off, there would probably be a team of FBI agents knocking at my door right now, lead by your brother."

Charlie snickered in agreement and quickly flipped it open to read the I,D. of the caller.

"Hey Dad, what's up? No, I didn't forget, we'll be over in tine for lunch. Let me know if you want me to pick anything up. Okay, Goodnight Dad." He closed his phone just as Amita was standing up.

Charlie looked up at her. "Dad was just making sure that we didn't forget that Don and Robin are coming over for our barbecue tomorrow. We're still on, right?"

"Right." She smiled as she held a hand out to him. "Let me help you up Charlie."

He smiled mischievously up at her and patted the floor next to him. "You could come back down here."

She laughed. "Oh, no, back on the couch professor. Our popcorn is getting cold and Indy is already on the hunt." She nodded her head at the tv and the movie that had started playing.

He grumbled good-naturedly and let her help him up. They settled on the couch and focused on the movie and the snacks but after a while they moved closer together and "Indy" was forgotten.

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"Target has been acquired." David reported from his sedan as he followed the car from a safe distance. "ETA is ten minutes."

"Roger that. Eppes out." Don closed his phone and relayed the message to his team. They quickly got into their positions and prepared for the take down.

Colby was watching from the window and quickly moved from view. "They're here." he announced as he moved to another area.

"Everyone in position, no mistakes now." Don ordered. "David, where are you?"

"I'm right behind them."

The doorknob was starting to turn and everyone went silent as the door swung open and the unsuspected targets walked across the threshold of the Craftsman.

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Don looked around the back yard and couldn't suppress a smile. Alan had outdone himself. Of course, he could not have accomplished this feat without the assistance of four hardened FBI agents and one CalSci professor. Together, they had successfully pulled off a surprise engagement party for Charlie and Amita. There were festive balloons and colorful flowers decorating a long rectangle table set up in the middle of the yard. It was covered with a white tablecloth and filled with dishes, champagne glasses and several bottles of champagne. Another table had been set up to hold a cake and various other food dishes.

His smile faded a little as he watched his brother rise from his chair and limp toward him. It had only been a month after the incident but he had come along way in his recovery and with hard work he no longer needed the use of the cane The limp itself would disappear as his leg grew stronger but other scars not so visible would take longer to fade away. Charlie wasn't the only one left with invisible scars, he and his Dad were suffering from them too, but Don was sure that the three of them would pull together and eventually heal those scars as well.

"Earth to Don." his younger brother grinned up at him.

Don returned his smile. "What? Sorry I was just thinking about something."

"I can't believe that you guys managed to keep this a secret from us." He waved his hand around the yard. "This is just perfect, thanks.

"Yeah, well you know Dad." he bent his head closer to his brother and lowered his voice. "Actually, Dad wanted to invite the whole neighborhood, all of Calsi and the entire FBI office, so you owe me one bro."

Charlie scoffed and looked around for his father. Alan was in charge of the barbecue and was explaining to David and Colby the correct way to grill a rib-eye steak and with beer in hand the younger agents appeared to be fully engrossed in his instructions. His eyes drifted to Amita who was surrounded by Megan, Robin and David and Colby's dates. They were admiring her engagement ring and, as he watched, she looked up and met his eyes, giving him a bright smile. A moment later she quickly looked away, blushing from a comment that Megan had just made, and had all of the ladies glancing at Charlie and giggling. He blushed and turned his attention to the other professor's from Calsci. Ray Galinski and Larry were sitting at the table deep in a conversation about the best way to green-up the craftsman.

Larry had once told him that while he had been up in space he had come to realize how fragile life on earth really was. The recent events had certainly clarified that for the young professor and as he looked around the yard at his family and friends he was reminded of how close he had come to losing his life.

"Hey, Charlie." Don put a hand around his brother's neck. "You okay?"

Startled, Charlie looked up into the concerned eyes of his brother. "Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking about how ….you know….how close it was." and he ducked his head and looked away.

Don's hand tightened on his shoulder. "Yeah." he said, his voice thick with emotion. "So was I."

"Hey, Donnie!" Alan called out from across the yard. "Would you mind getting the rest of the barbecue sauce? I have another bottle in the refrigerator."

Don patted Charlie on the shoulder and broke away. "Sure thing Dad" he turned back to his brother. " I'll be right back."

"I'll come with you. I need to walk a little anyway, my leg is starting to get a little stiff." Charlie said as he moved to follow him inside.

As soon as they were inside, Charlie grabbed a chair and sat down, stretching out his leg and absently rubbing it with his hand. Don had just opened the refrigerator and taken out the barbecue sauce when there was knock at the front door. The agent quickly set the sauce on the table.

"Stay where you are Charlie, I'll see who it is." and he was at the door before his brother could say a word in protest.

Don opened the door and his face broke into a smile. "High Jeff, I'm glad you could make it." he extended his hand as he called over his shoulder. "Charlie, come here, I want you to meet someone."

Charlie soon joined him and smiled as Don made the introductions. "Ranger Jeff Cromwell, meet my younger brother, Dr Charles Eppes."

Charlie shook his hand. "You've made quite impression on my brother, it's nice to finally meet you."

"You might say that Don has made one on me too. It's a pleasure to finally get to me you Dr. Eppes. I don't normally attend these kind of functions, but he talked me into it." he tilted is head and scratched at his temple. "I have to tell you though, with all of the bragging that he was doing, I though you would be a lot older."

Charlie's eyebrows shot up and he looked in amazement at his brother. "Don….bragging about me. Are you sure were talking about the same Don Eppes?"

Don playfully nudged his brother aside as he made room for the ranger to enter. "Ha, ha, very funny Charlie."

Charlie grinned and turned to Cromwell. "All of my friends call me Charlie, and I hope that you will also."

"Charlie it is then."

Before Cromwell entered though he looked from brother to brother and asked. "I hope you don't mind but I brought a friend along with me today. I just didn't have the heart to leave him alone."

Don's face lit up as he looked around the ranger and Charlie watched in surprise as his brother suddenly knelt to his knees and called out. "Hey, Riggs, come here boy."

The little dog trotted through the doorway with his nose in the air, sniffing at all of the new smells. He tilted is head upwards, making eye contact with his owner, as if he was asking for permission to proceed.

The ranger gave a nod of his head and the dog looked back at Don and sat down on his haunches, lifting his paw to shake hands with the agent.

Don grinned up at Charlie as he took the little dog's paw and gently shook it. It returned it's paw to the floor and sat there waiting for his treat. Don looked up as the ranger handed him a small dog biscuit which he placed in the palm of his hand and lowered it to the dog's mouth. Riggs gently took it from his hand and ate the treat.

Charlie was grinning like an eight year old and asked excitedly. "Can I try it?"

He grimaced a little as he knelt down, trying to keep most of the pressure on his good leg and Don placed a hand under his elbow to steady him.

"Riggs, say hello to Charlie."

The little dog sat down once again and extended his paw. Charlie grinned as he gently shook the little paw. Afterwards, the little dog sat back and waited for another treat. The ranger handed him a treat but Don grabbed it before Charlie could get it.

"Hey." Charlie said surprised. "It's my turn."

"I know." Don said soothingly. "I just want to show you how to hold it ."

Charlie looked at Don like he had lost his mind. "Hold it? I think I know how to hold a dog biscuit Don."

"No, no. You have to do it this way." He took his brother's hand and turned it palm up. "Look, place it in the palm of your hand and then slowly lower it to his mouth." Don was grinning like a little kid himself. "Go ahead, now try it."

Charlie rolled his eyes at is brother but did as he was told. "Wow, he took the biscuit without even touching my hand."

"Riggs can be very gentle when he wants to be." Jeff said proudly.

"Boys, I thought you were going to bring out the barbecue sauce." Alan bellowed out before he saw the ranger. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't see you standing there." his eyes drifted downward. "Don, Charlie, what are you doing on the floor?" he couldn't see the dog because his son's were blocking him from view.

Don and Charlie stood up as Alan came over and his eyebrows rose in surprise at their smallest guest.

"Dad, this is Ranger Cromwell. Jeff, this is our father, Alan Eppes. Oh, and this is Riggs."

Don watched as Alan smiled and shook hands with the ranger. Alan had become withdrawn around strangers ever since he had learned the real identity of Fitzgerald. He blamed himself for letting the man enter their home and now he shied away from strangers. That was one of the reasons that Don had invited Jeff, he thought that the two of them would hit if off and he was hoping to draw the old Alan back out of his shell.

Alan looked skeptically at the little dog. "This is the dog that saved your life?"

"Yep." Don said as he closed the door behind the ranger. "And Jeff can tell you all about it during dinner. We better get back outside."

They all headed out the back door and Don grabbed the barbecue sauce on his way out. It was no surprise that the smallest guest ended up getting a lot of attention. Everyone loved the little dog and by the time they were all seated for dinner, the Sheltie was stuffed with doggie biscuits. He curled up beside the ranger's feet and promptly went to sleep.

Dinner was a fun affair between the Eppes family and their good friends and as the evening wore on everyone had heard the story of the lion and how Riggs had gotten his name. No one believed that the little dog ever misbehaved despite the ranger's protest that it was true.

Don changed the subject and to Colby's chagrin, he told everyone about the engagement pool that the agent had arranged and how he had accused Charlie of cheating.

Alan's eyes widened in surprise. "So, what happened next?" He turned to his youngest son. "Charlie, what did you do?" But before Charlie could answer Don finished his story.

"It's okay Dad, Charlie wasn't upset at all. He merely informed my agents that gambling was illegal after all, and he just wanted to protect them so he was donating the winnings to charity."

"I was just teasing him, I didn't really mean it." Colby called out in his own defense which caused David to laugh out loud and choke on his beer. "You know that, right Charlie?"

"I know Colby. It's okay."

Grinning from ear to ear, Don leaned across the table and shook his finger at his agents. "I told you so, I told you Charlie would get even with you guys."

Megan grinned back at him and slapped her hands on the table. "I bet you've been waiting all day just to say that."

"You got that right." he retorted, laughing out loud.

Charlie laughed too. "Hey, I wasn't getting even, I was just protecting them."

"Yeah, right." Don snorted., which prompted more laughter around the table.

"Amita, have you and Charles set a date yet?" Larry asked, bringing the conversation back to the young couple.

Blushing the young woman turned to the professor. "No, not yet Larry, we're still working on that."

"I'm already planning the bachelor party, but of course, I still need the wedding date. After all, the party is always the night before the wedding." Don said with a wink at Charlie.

Charlie laughed out loud and put an arm around Amita. "I think I've created a monster."

"Do you really think that it is wise to partake of this event on the night before the ceremonial gathering?" Larry posed the question.

"Hey, this is a tried and true tradition." Don retorted. "As the "best man" it is my responsibility to make sure that my little brother celebrates it in the way it is supposed to be embraced." Smiling till his eyes crinkled at the corners, he leaned back and exchanged a knowing glance with his father.

"I think that is what Larry is afraid of, Don." Megan laughed as she put an arm around the professor, prompting a burst of laughter from everyone.

Alan leaned over to give his oldest a nudge. "Just what exactly do you have planned for your brother?"

The smile never left Don's face as he answered. "Sorry, Dad, I'm afraid that is top secret information and you just don't have the clearance."

His father snorted and commented. "All right, Donnie, just don't forget that he has to be conscious on his wedding day." He grinned and winked at his future daughter-in-law. "Isn't that right Amita?"

Amita just blushed and laughed at his comment.

The afternoon turned into evening as the laughter continued to echo around the yard. The little dog began to stir at the ranger's feet and he sat up yawning widely as he looked around the area. The spirited conversation continued above him as he stood up and stretched unnoticed by the ranger. Jeff had removed the leash and so it was with delight that the little dog realized that he was free to move around the yard. A bowl of water had been placed by the ranger's chair and he bent his head to lap it up. His thirst quenched, he was now ready to explore. He wondered between the feet under the table and then froze as something caught his eye. His head tilted sideways and he froze, suddenly focused on the pond at the end of the yard. " _Was that a bubble?" _He narrowed his focus, and sure enough several more bubbles of water could be seen erupting and bursting into the air. " _H"mm, this could be worth exploring." _

The little dog glanced back at the ranger and was delighted to see that he was still involved in a conversation, making it that much easier for him to drift over to the pond and investigate the mysterious bubbles. Unnoticed, he made his way from the table and approached the pond. Finally, he was close enough to look down into the water and his eyes widened with surprise and excitement. Suddenly, like a super hero, the little dog transformed when the "wild man" streak in him burst forth.

"_Fish….a whole bunch of them and their so big!" _He was so excited that his tail had started swishing back and forth at an incredible speed. He could herd them around just like sheep, after all, that's what Shetland sheepdogs were supposed to do. Besides, there wasn't any rule that said he couldn't herd fish instead of sheep.

His liquid brown eyes lit up with excitement and the "wild man" took control of him. Putting caution to the wind, he immediately began to bark furiously at the koi while he ran in circles around the pond.

Surprised by the sudden barking, everyone at the table turned to see what had excited the little dog. Their startled expressions lasted only a moment before they all scrambled up and ran toward the pond, frantically calling out the little dog's name.

"Riggs, no!" Jeff called out as he ran toward the excited little dog.

But Riggs was in his element, and with an expression on his face that could only be described as a grin, he ran to the edge of the pond. With a triumphant glance at the ranger and the people running behind him, the happy little dog took a running leap and….. SPLASH!

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Charlie held the door open for Alan as they came out on the front porch of the Craftsman. It was a warm Saturday afternoon and the two of them had decided to take advantage of it and relax a while on the front porch.

Alan set his glass of iced tea down on a small patio table before turning around to step off of the porch.

"Have a seat Dad, I'll get the mail." Charlie said after setting his own glass down.

"Okay."

Alan shrugged and sat down in a chair. He sipped on his tea and watched as Charlie walked to the mailbox at the end of the driveway. It had been two months since the engagement party and Charlie's leg had healed completely, he had even lost the limp. Outwardly he looked normal again and had even managed to put on a few pounds but sometimes Alan would find him lost in thought and he could tell from the expression on his face that he wasn't thinking about any equations. Some things were just going to take a little longer to heal.

Charlie grabbed the mail from the box and slowly made his way back toward the porch. He was halfway up the sidewalk when the sound of a car horn drew his attention and he changed direction to greet his brother.

"Hey Don."

"What's happening Chuck?" Don greeted his brother teasingly as he grabbed a small shopping bag from his car before closing the door. Before Charlie could respond to his use of the dreaded nickname his father called out from the porch.

"Donnie, I didn't expect to see you today."

"I thought I would check in and see what you guys were up too."

The boys climbed the steps together and then sat down to get more comfortable.

"I thought you and Robin had the afternoon all planned out?" Alan asked.

Don shrugged his shoulders. "We did, but she had to go to Seattle on a case. I just dropped her off at the airport so I thought I 'd come over here and see what was going on." he glanced at his brother. "Where's Amita?"

Charlie looked up from the mail in his hand and grinned. "She'll be over later tonight. She kicked me out, said she had to clean up her apartment and that I was too much of a distraction."

"I bet you were." Don chortled.

Blushing, Charlie decided to change the subject and handed some of the mail to his brother. "Don, could you pass these over to Dad?"

His brother took the letters and gave them to Alan, but Don knew his little brother's tactics and he had every intention of continuing his harassment. He changed his mind though, when he glanced at Charlie. His brows were knitted together in puzzlement as he read the letter that he had just opened.

"What have you got there buddy?" Don asked, suddenly very curious. His tone of voice prompted Alan to gaze in his son's direction. "Charlie?"

"What?" Startled, Charlie looked up and exchanged glances with both his brother and father, not sure which one of them had called him.

"Is everything okay?" Alan asked, his own mail forgotten.

"Oh, yeah, sure. It's just that this letter has to be a mistake, that's all." he said, holding up the letter. "Check this out." Charlie added , handing the letter to his brother.

Don's eyebrows shot up and he looked up in surprise. "Did you know this guy, this…." he paused as he rapidly read over the letter. "this Reginald Phillips?"

"Never heard of him." Charlie said.

"Are either of you going to tell me what's in the letter?" Alan asked impatiently.

Embarrassed, Don quickly passed the letter to his father.

"Oh, sorry, Dad." Charlie apologized. "It's a letter from a law firm in Albania. It says that I've inherited an estate from one Reginald Phillips and that I need to come there immediately to settle the inheritance."

Don pulled off his sunglasses. "Where is Albania anyway?"

Charlie shrugged. "Don't look at me, geography wasn't my thing, remember?"

"Somewhere in South East Europe I think, maybe near Greece." Alan said absently as he read the letter. He pulled off his glasses and raised his head. "Charlie what are you going to do about this? This letter says that legal action will be taken against you if you don't pay the taxes and settle all accounts, whatever that may be."

"Obviously, they've contacted the wrong Charles Eppes." The young man said. "I'll just let them know that they've made a mistake."

"There's another one?" Don asked grinning from ear to ear. "I don't think the world is big enough to handle two of you Charlie."

"Ha, ha, brother." Charlie rolled his eyes at him. "I'll take it to my attorney on Monday and let him deal with it. He'll be able to straighten it out for me."

"I could find out who this guy was." Don offered, more than a little curious about the mysterious Phillips.

Charlie shook his head. "No, let's just let my lawyer take care of it, okay?"

"It's your call bro." Don responded. "Oh, by the way, I brought you something." He handed him a small shopping bag.

"Really?"

Charlie started to reach for the bag but suddenly experienced an overwhelming sense of de-ja-vu. "Thanks, but no thanks, bro." Don's surprised expression prompted him to quickly explain. "No offense man, but your tee shirts bring me bad luck so if it's all the same to you, I think I'll pass this time."

Don 's face broke into a grin as he realized the reason for his brother's reluctance in taking the bag. "Yeah, I came to that same conclusion myself, so go ahead and take this."

Really curious now, Charlie took the bag, and was surprised by how heavy it was. It definitely wasn't a tee shirt. Cautiously, he peaked inside and then laughed out loud. He pulled out a coffee mug with the math symbol for Pi on one side and E equals Eppes written on the other side. Grinning, he held it up so that Alan could see it.

"Thanks, man, this is really cool."

"Your welcome, now don't break it." Don grinned and then turned to look at his dad.

"What did you get Dad? He asked as he pointed to the mail that lay forgotten in Alan's lap.

"Oh, Jeff sent me a few brochures of the park. We decided to go hiking next weekend and he wanted me to look over a few of the trails." Alan said as he put his glasses back on and opened the envelope.

Alan had reverted back to his old self and he and Ranger Cromwell had become fast friends. Jeff had been over for dinner on a number of occasions since the party and he was always accompanied by Riggs. None of the koi had been hurt by Riggs's plunge into the pond but now he wasn't allowed to roam around the backyard unleashed but the little dog would still sit at the window and stare longingly at the pond. As it turned out Jeff was quite an entertaining storyteller and both Don and Charlie enjoyed his visits as well as their Dad. Many times the man had them laughing from the funny experiences that he had encountered during his many years of being a park ranger.

Don and Charlie shared an amused smile as Alan continued to talk about the upcoming hiking trip.

"Well, I hope you'll have….." Charlie's voice trailed off as he stared toward the front of the porch.

Puzzled, Don turned to see what had caught his brother's eye and found himself staring into the eyes of a large, yellow cat.

Still mesmerized by the cat's eyes, Charlie said softly. "Did you ever notice how much a cat's eyes are ……"

"Like a mountain lion's." Don finished the sentence for him as he continued to stare at the cat too.

"You know, I never noticed how feral a cat's eyes are." Charlie said, still maintaining eye contact with the cat.

"It's like they are measuring you or sizing you up for a snack or something." Don readily agreed with his brother.

'Did you ever think of getting a dog, Dad?" Charlie asked, continuing his stare-a-thon with the cat.

"Yeah, maybe one like Riggs." Don added, watching the cat warily.

"Boys." Alan huffed. "It's just Rambo, the Bailey's cat….you know… from up the street. It's not a mountain lion." he waved a hand at the cat. "Go on now, shoo."

The cat ignored him of course, and sat down to clean it's paws. Refusing to be outdone by a cat, Alan leaned forward and said. "If you go near my koi pond again, I just might get a dog."

The cat looked up and rose to his feet looking very much like he had just been insulted and with a flick of it's tail it bounded down the steps and out of sight.

Satisfied with his victory, Alan grinned broadly at his sons. "You see that, all I had to do was reason with him."

Don snorted. "Yeah, right, he's probably sitting beside the koi pond right now."

"It looked like he was heading in that direction." Charlie snickered.

"He was not." Alan scoffed. "The cat went up the street."

Don's phone rang and he quickly flipped it open. "Eppes. Okay, I'll be right there. Sorry guys." he said as he stood up and closed his phone.

Charlie's smile faded as he looked up at his brother. "But you just got here."

Don shrugged his shoulders. "Duty calls." he mumbled as he headed for the steps. Don stopped at the top step and turned around . "Do you want to come? I might need a consultant."

Charlie beamed at him and stood up immediately. "Awesome." He said excitedly and then a guilty look crossed his face as he glanced at his father. "Ah, sorry Dad."

Alan waved them off. "Go ….go solve some crimes. Just be home in time for dinner." His glasses had slid down to the bridge of his nose and he looked over them pointedly at Don. "That means you too."

"See you later." Don said as he put on his sunglasses and headed down the stairs with his brother in tow.

"Catch you later, Pop" Charlie called over his shoulder.

Alan watched as Don hooked an arm around his brother's neck. They were apparently discussing the phone call and Charlie was shaking his head animatedly, rapidly moving his hands up and down while he tried to explain some mathematical theory that he could use to help with the investigation.

Whether it was a trick of the mind or of the heart, Alan would never know, because as he watched his grown sons walk away they changed form and were replaced by a ten year old Donnie and a five year old Charlie. Don was carrying a baseball glove in his right hand and had his other arm hooked around his brother's neck as he leaned in to say something to him. Charlie was grinning, listening intently to his older brother, while he clutched a large piece of sidewalk chalk in his chubby little hand.

A smile crossed Alan's face and he wiped at some moisture in the corner of his eye, thankful that some things never changed.

_Finis_

A/N: Thank you for reading this story and if you liked it, please let me know. I would like to say a "special thank-you" to everyone who took the time to review and supported me through the telling of this long "tale."

(A special note to twintrekkers: I hope Charlie's note met your expectations.)


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